Despite ESMA, Nurses Of State-Govertnment Hospitals Launch 2-Day Protest In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Despite Odisha Emergency Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA) being in force, nursing staff of state-run hospitals and healthcare centres in Odisha started a two-day agitation on Wednesday over their 10-point charter, including regularisation of contractual workers and scrapping outsourcing.

Other than emergency services, ICU and OT, nurses at the state-run hospitals have refrained themselves from other hospital works, said sources.

Under the banner of Odisha Nursing Employees’ Association (ONEA), they have threatened a complete work cessation starting September 27 if the demands are unmet.

According to reports, Health Secretary and senior officials of the H&FW department held discussions with office bearers of ONEA on various issues concerning the Nursing Officers.

After detailed discussion concerning the Nursing Officers, it was assured to them that there will be continuous engagement with them in future and the issues will be considered sympathetically at appropriate times.

As theirs is an essential service, it was requested that they should desist from agitational path, withdraw their strike and resume duty immediately.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling was positive about resolving the issue through discussions. “We have invited them to discuss their issues. The discussion will be successful and health services will not be affected,” he told mediapersons.

It may be noted here that the Odisha government imposed ESMA for a period of six months on August 6, prohibiting strikes by class-III and class-IV employees in the health sector to ensure medical services are not disrupted. The act was invoked after ONEA threatened to go for cease work agitation from August 27.

Also Read: Act Against Striking Staff Under ESMA, Director Of Nursing Advises Healthcare Institutions In Odisha