Bhubaneswar: Outpatient department (OPD) and inpatient department (IPD) services are likely to be hit at govt health facilities across the state as Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA) on Saturday issued an internal communication asking its members to prepare for an indefinite cease-work agitation from July 1, coinciding with National Doctors’ Day, to press for their long-pending demands.The association has called upon all sections of its cadre — Odisha Medical and Health Services doctors, Odisha Medical Service dental surgeons, contractual medical officers, doctors deputed to medical colleges and postgraduate students — to participate in the agitation, demanding pay parity with their central counterparts, Dynamic Assured Career Progression, safety of doctors at workplace and filling up of vacant posts in govt hospitals among other things.OMSA president Dr Kishore Chandra Mishra said OPD and IPD services would be stopped, while emergency services would remain partially open. “The doctors had exercised patience after the state govt assured them in Jan that their demands would be addressed. More than 8,500 OMSA doctors are serving in the govt hospitals and about 2,500 in medical colleges on deputation. Despite assurances by the govt, no significant progress has been made on our key demands,” he said.As part of the protest, the OMSA members have been asked to assemble at the offices of the respective chief district medical and public health officers, while the doctors posted in medical colleges are to gather at the offices of their respective deans. The association has also outlined an escalation plan, including a march to PMG Square in Bhubaneswar in the event of arrests or any adverse action by the state govt.Health and family welfare department’s special secretary, Dr Bijay Kumar Mohapatra, said the govt was planning to send doctors from medical colleges to look after OPD, IPD and emergency services during the agitation. “The govt is holding discussions with the OMSA office-bearers for a possible solution. We hope the OMSA will agree to the govt’s proposals and refrain from going on strike,” he said.The association had suspended its earlier agitation in Jan following discussions with the govt. The doctors had curtailed OPD services in phases from Dec 26, 2025, to Jan 8, disrupting routine healthcare services across the state. The protest was withdrawn after a meeting with health minister Mukesh Mahaling.OMSA general secretary Dr Sanjib Kumar Pradhan said their renewed protest would continue until the govt takes concrete steps on issues related to career progression, service conditions and recruitment.Apart from the service-related demands, the association has raised concerns over increasing incidents of violence against healthcare professionals. The OMSA recently condemned the assault on a doctor at Malkangiri district headquarters hospital and expressed concern over a similar incident in AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, where a junior doctor was allegedly attacked by a patient’s relatives on Saturday.“Attacks on the doctors have become a regular affair. These incidents highlight how vulnerable healthcare professionals are while discharging their duties. We need a strong law to ensure the safety and security of doctors,” Mishra said.The association has demanded enactment of a dedicated security law for doctors and healthcare workers, and stressed the need for regular recruitment to address vacancies in the govt hospitals.
