Odishatv Bureau

Burla (Sambalpur): Junior doctors of the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) deferred the cease work agitation scheduled to begin from today till April 30 following a discussion with the medical college and hospital authorities.

The junior doctors association (JDA) had a meeting with the VIMSAR director and superintendent during which the authorities promised to fulfill the nine-point charter of demands of the medicos and appealed to them cooperate with the health care.

“Some of our demands were fulfilled. We will wait till April 30 for the remaining demands. If these are no addressed, we will resume the agitation”, JDA president Shankar Ramachandani said.

“Honourable superintendent and director assured us to full fill the remaining demands by the end of the month. Keeping patients' interest in view, we announced to stop the strike temporarily”, he added.

Sunamali Bag, director of VIMSAR, said the MRI machine, one of the major demands of the students, will be installed by third week of April. Round the clock water supply has begun and work is in full swing for uninterrupted power supply, he added.

Talking about filling up of vacancies, Bag said notification had been issued by the government for the recruitment of assistant professors. Most of their demands will be addressed as soon as possible, Bag assured.

The JDA had treated patients sporting black badges on March 15 and threatened to launch cease work from April 1 accusing the government of dilly-dallying on their demands.

Notably, on February 5, Health Secretary Arti Ahuja had informed that the Government would fulfill all their demands of the association in phases.

She 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.

Their other demands are installation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine, delegation of financial and administrative powers to VIMSAR authorities, shifting of female medicine ward to a new building, strengthening of security on the premises of VIMSAR and round-the-clock water and electricity supply to operation theatre and labour room.

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