Odisha Nursing Staff Withdraw Strike After Govt Assurance

Bhubaneswar: The protesting nursing staff of government hospitals across Odisha have reached an agreement with the State Government to end their protest.

Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling announced on Saturday night that the nurses have agreed to call off their strike. “I had urged them to end the agitation, and they have assured the government that they will no longer continue the protest,” said the minister.

Ashwini Kumar Das, Secretary of the Odisha Nursing Employees’ Union, confirmed that the discussions with the government were successful.

Despite the imposition of the Odisha Emergency Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA), 1988, the nurses had continued their strike, demanding a 10-point charter of reforms.

Key Demands

The nurses have been pressing for the formation of a high-level committee with representation from various government departments, particularly the Finance Department, to address their demands. These include the regularisation of contractual nurses, changes in the nursing dress code and administrative roles, an end to outsourcing nursing services and place-based incentives for those working in tribal regions.

The protests had severely impacted patient care in government hospitals across the state, forcing many to seek treatment in private facilities.