Sambalpur, Jan. 12: Junior doctors and house staff of the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Vimsar) at Burla resorted to cease work today to press for their various demands.
On January 4, the doctors had called on Vimsar director Sonamali Bag to discuss about their demands. They had earlier submitted a memorandum to chief minister Naveen Patnaik and health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak requesting fulfilment of their 10-point charter of demands. The junior doctors and house staff had earlier threatened to resort to an indefinite ceasework from January 12 if their demands were not met by that time.
Their demands included installation of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, delegation of financial and administrative power to Vimsar, shifting of female medicine ward to a new building, strengthening of security on the medical college premises, round-the-clock water and electricity supply at the operation theatre, a labour room, a sick newborn care unit (SNCU), an intensive care unit (ICU), a new medicine ward, a canteen, hostels, an increase in library fund, recruitment of staff for the library, filling up of vacant teaching and non-teaching posts, and improvement in the sanitary condition of the institute.
"We want people to get quality health care. Medical students should also get a better environment to study here. Both the students and the patients will benefit if our demands are met. But unfortunately, no step has yet been taken to fulfil our demands," said president of the junior doctors' association Shankar Ramchandani.
He added: "We will continue our agitation till our demands are met. The undergraduate students are also supporting our agitation.
The cease work of the junior doctors and house staff have badly affected health service in this premier government referral hospital of west Odisha.
"We have engaged professors, assistant professors and senior residents to manage the situation," said Vimsar superintendent L.K. Dash.
"We have initiated a dialogue with the agitating junior doctors and the house surgeons. We hope that a solution will come out soon," said the institute's director, Bag.
