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Bhubaneswar: In the underneath of securing countrywide recognition for superb Covid management by Odisha government, the glaring dissatisfaction of thousands of healthcare professionals who played an important role in the fightback against the pandemic seems to be playing down the accolades.
Healthcare professionals took to streets once again on Thursday to protest the government's move in laying them off from work even though they claimed of working dedicatedly as frontline corona warriors during the pandemic high.
Hundreds of paramedical staff from the State gathered near the Lower PMG Square in Bhubaneswar to voice their grievance. They launched novel protest by turning to begging wearing PPE kits.
"We worked hard with full dedication and even risked our lives when the pandemic was raging, but after the decline in the number of cases, the government seemed to have forgotten our efforts and removed us from work," said a protesting paramedical staff.
"We know that our employment was on contractual basis but the government posted us for a period of three months initially and later extended our tenures till six months and again for three months more. In the process many of us also had to give up our previous jobs in hope of earning more from this employment. But the government removed us knowing all too well that our financial condition is lean," said another paramedical staff.
Meanwhile, comments from the minister or the officials of the State Health Department could not be obtained over the development.
A week ago, several paramedical staff in Bhadrak district who were hired during the Covid-19 pandemic and terminated recently resorted to novel demonstration by begging in public in the city.
As per reports, the State government had engaged hundreds of paramedical staff on contractual basis to join the battle against Covid-19. The official order of the Health and Family Welfare department mentioned that these engagements would be temporary in view of the emergency situation arising due to the pandemic.
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