Bhubaneswar, Jan. 21: Members of the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA) have decided to launch a saytagraha from January 27 near PMG Square to press for their long-standing demands.

The central working committee of the OMSA today met at the Red Cross Bhavan and decided to agitate.

Their demands include implementation of the dynamic assured career progression (DACP) for the doctors in the OMSA cadre, set-up upgrade and recruitment of more doctors by the state government.

State general secretary of the OMSA Kishore Chandra Mishra said: “During the agitation, we will follow the Gandhian principle of non-violence and not let health care services be affected. Member will wear black badges to express solidarity with the OMSA cause.”

According to the DACP, a doctor is assured at least four promotions during his service career.

President of the association Chandan Garnayak said: “As the DACP has already been implemented in states such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the Odisha government should implement it with immediate effect.”

The state government formed a committee in March 2010 to give a report on the DACP related demand of the association members, but the report is yet to be submitted to the government.

On April 17, 2008, chief minister Naveen Patnaik had announced on the Assembly floor that within two months a transparent transfer policy would be announced for doctors and no corrupt practices in this regard would be tolerated. However, the working committee members alleged that corruption in this matter was still rampant and had become a disincentive for young doctors, who don’t want take up state government jobs.

“With around 2,200 doctors in the OMSA cadre against the sanctioned strength of 4,362, the situation at the grassroots level can be easily imagined. But then the state government is not keen to induct young doctors. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organisation, there should be around 13,000 doctors in Odisha,” Mishra said.

Student leaders of the three government-run medical colleges also attended today’s OMSA meeting as invitees.

The office-bearers included representatives of house surgeons’ associations and junior doctors’ associations.