Defying ESMA Nurses on Cease-Work Agitation, Healthcare Across Odisha Affected

Bhubaneswar: Despite ESMA, the nursing staffs of the government run hospitals in Odisha are on a cease work strike affecting the healthcare services across the state.

The services in Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar, SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack are drastically affected by the cease-work agitation called by the Odisha Nursing Employees’ Association (ONEA).

The nurses started their cease-work agitation on Friday in for 10 demands, including the regularization of contractual workers and the elimination of the outsourcing system.

Around 15,000 nurses from state-run medical colleges, district headquarters hospitals, and other hospitals are part of this cease work agitation.

At the Capital Hospital, 131 nursing staff members out of 181 are on strike. Because of it, hospital authorities are compelled to turn away patients, postpone non-emergency surgeries and limit admissions to only emergency cases, said reports.

Similar reports have come up from other places of the state including Berhampur, Sambalpur and Cuttack.