Sambalpur, Sept. 6: Health services at Burla’s Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Medical College and Hospital has been seriously affected with the agitating postgraduate students closing down the outdoor patient department for the second day today.

Yesterday, the postgraduate students or junior doctors began a ceasework agitation and closed the outdoor following a clash with a local BJD leader over past rivalry. The police had arrested Sisir Dandia, president of Biju Janata Dal’s Burla unit. However, the medical students continued their agitation today and resorted to cease work demanding a permanent solution to the problem.

The protesters did not allow the senior doctors and professors to enter the outdoor. But, the other emergency services at the hospital remained normal. They treated emergency patients themselves, but did not do their respective ward duties.

“In July, we had resorted to an agitation demanding a unified campus and proper security. The administration had assured us to fulfil our demand, but were yet to take any initiative in this regard,” said Junior Doctors Association president Premaraj Debta.

“We want security and we will not withdraw our agitation until we get an assurance from the chief minister. We don’t want health service at the hospital to be paralysed. We have closed the outdoor, but we have organised a parallel outdoor for the patients,” he said.

Hospital superintendent Gunasagar Das said though the outdoor was closed, the emergency wing was open.