People wait for treatment in front SCB Medical College and Hospital following a strike by junior doctors. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 17: Healthcare in three government-run medical college and hospitals across Orissa has been severely affected because of cease-work by junior doctors, which entered its third day today.

Talks between the Orissa government and agitating junior doctors failed today. While the government asked for a written undertaking from the agitating junior doctors and medical students that they would call off their agitation, the doctors sought a written assurance that their demands would be fulfilled.

“Though a meeting was held with the state health minister and home secretary and director of medical education and training, no consensus was arrived at. We have decided to continue with our cease-work,” said D.V. Ravi Kumar, member of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), an umbrella body of the junior doctors’ associations of the three medical colleges.

“Our demands are clear cut — arrest the culprit involved in the attack, drop false charges against the students, ensure security on campus and regularise duties,” said Bibhu Kalyan Sahu, another member of the JAC.

The agitating junior doctors said that they were ready to face any action from the government, which threatened to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act.

Reports from Cuttack said the patient inflow at SCB Medical College and Hospital has started to register a drop following the cease-work.

Around 1,000 junior doctors and postgraduate students have launched the cease-work in support of the students of Veer Surendra Sai Medical College and Hospital, Burla, demanding security measures inside the three government medical colleges in the state.

“At present we are conducting only emergency surgeries. Minor surgeries are being postponed,” said a senior doctor, requesting anonymity.

“Adequate measures have been taken to deal with the situation,” said superintendent of SCB, D.N. Moharana.

Reports from Sambalpur say that the deadlock continues at Veer Surendra Sai Medical College and Hospital at Burla.

The indefinite closure of the college has affected the healthcare service.

“We are trying to manage with the help of non-clinical doctors,” said superintendent of VSS medical college and hospital Gunasagar Das.

At Berhampur’s MKCG Medical College and Hospital, “a total of 750 MBBS students, 100 house surgeons and 300 post-graduate students have joined the cease-work”, said Umakanta Khajuria, a member of the JAC. However, MKCG hospital authorities claimed that the agitation had not affected medical services.