Govt doctors in Orissa to tender resignation en masse

NI Wire

Bhubaneswar

Sat, 23 Aug 2008: 

Nearly 3,000 doctors working in public hospitals in Orissa have threatened to follow a mass resignation on August 27 protesting against Government’s apathy toward them. Reportedly, the agitation came over the delay of implementation of various measures announced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik six months ago.p>

According to Orissa Medical Service Association (OMSA), the chief minister had made a six-point announcement in the assembly which includes that doctors would get a salary of Rs 8,000 with Class-I status at the entry level, special allowance of Rs 3,000 per month, transparency in transfer service, restructuring of posts and security to doctors on duty.

However, none of the above said promise has kept so far.

OMSA president Madhusudan Mishra on Friday said, “Over 3,000 doctors working in government hospitals will tender their resignation from their posts to protest against the non-implementation of announcement made by Mr. Patnaik.”

Tension between doctors and state administration has been a long time affair especially on the issue of salary and allowances which are very low compared to other states. Fresh MBBS graduates prefer to move out of the state for their service, instead working in rural areas with no such noticeable facilities.

Earlier on February this year, doctors had threatened to initiate a statewide resignation campaign as the government failed to fulfill their long standing demand. This later prompted the chief minister to announce the said points on the floor of the house, but to no avail. And again on May the OMSA had raised the same issue that remained unheard.

With the latest stir, the state administration needs to take the decision at the earliest as government doctors are the primary reaching point for approximately four crore people living mostly in villages.