JDA calls off cease-work agitation as Pujahari sent on leave

Sambalpur: The Junior Doctors' Association (JDA) of Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) ended their cease-work agitation today after the controversial director Ashwini Pujahari was sent on leave.

The members of the association had been staging protest since November 19 demanding ouster of Pujahari for his alleged autocratic style of functioning and giving unproven therapies to patients at the hospital.

Odisha Health department Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Pramod Meherda on Friday served a show-cause notice to Pujahari. The secretary also asked Pujahari to furnish reply within three days on the findings of the inquiry committee which was earlier constituted to investigate the allegations.

Moreover, Pujahari has been asked to proceed on leave till his reply to the show-cause notice is received and subsequent disposal by the government.

Pujahari withdrew from surgical practice at the institute yesterday after a video of him using unproven therapies for treatment with salt during a surgery had gone viral on social media.