Burla: Junior doctors of the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), who wore black badges on Tuesday in protest against the inordinate delay in the fulfillment of their 9-point charter of demands, have threatened cease work from April 1 next if their demands are not met by the state government by March-end.
“Till date, there has been no hint from the state government on fulfillment of our 9-point charter of demands for better service of the patients for which we had gone on cease work earlier. Except for shifting the female medicine ward, the government has not done anything in the last three months. So we have decided to do our duty by wearing black badges till March 31. If the government fails to meet our demands, we will go for cease work from April 1. This time, we will extend our agitation in all hospitals across Western Odisha,” president of VIMSAR Junior Doctors’ Association Shankar Ramchandani told media persons here.
It may be mentioned that the Health secretary, Arati Ahuja, after her meeting with the JDA on February 5, had told the media that the government will fulfill all the demands of the Association in phases. She had also announced that an MRI machine, one of the nine demands of the JDA, would be installed at VIMSAR by March 31.
The Health secretary had also promised 24-hour service in Regional Diagnostic Centre (RDC) in VIMSAR, uninterrupted power supply, tight security measures with installation of CCTV cameras to monitor anti-social activities inside the institute.
However, the JDA alleged that none of the assurances made by the secretary has been fulfilled till date.
Refuting the allegations, VIMSAR director Prof Sunamali Bag said the demands of the JDA are being fulfilled in phases.
He confirmed that the MRI machine would be installed in the institute in the specified time frame.