Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt has directed health authorities across the state to withhold the salaries of Odisha Medical and Health Services (OMHS) cadre doctors participating in the cease-work, and warned that contractual doctors remaining absent from duty could face termination even as the ongoing strike continued for the third day on Friday.In a letter issued on Thursday, health secretary Aswathy S said it had come to the notice of the health and family welfare department that members of Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA) and OMHS, besides some contractual doctors, had boycotted health services in most govt health institutions since July 1.“The strike violates the Odisha Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (OESMA), 1988, which was invoked through a home department order dated June 6, 2026, covering doctors and paramedical staff across the state. As a result, the general public of the state is being deprived of getting health services,” the letter read, adding that this amounted to “gross misconduct”.The govt further said that the striking doctors had also violated Rules 3 and 4 of the Odisha Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1959.Keeping this in mind, the authorities have been instructed to hold back the salaries of the OMHS cadre doctors who are not performing their assigned duties until further orders from the govt. The department also said that the contractual doctors, who have joined the strike, be served notices and terminated from service if they fail to resume duty.The health and family welfare department, meanwhile, also requested the OMSA representatives to attend a meeting with health minister Mukesh Mahaling on Saturday to discuss their demands, including Dynamic Assured Career Progression on central scale, cadre restructuring and special incentives.Sanjib Kumar Pradhan, general secretary of OMSA, said the letter is a routine departmental procedure. “We are not scared of the letters issued by the department. The health minister has called us for a meeting on Saturday to discuss our demands. We will attend the meeting,” said Pradhan.The strike has affected healthcare delivery in several govt hospitals across the state, with doctors staying away from both outpatient and inpatient departments, besides several emergency duties.
