Odisha Doctors End Strike After Talks With Health Minister

Government doctors in Odisha have withdrawn their strike after successful talks with Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling.

The Odisha Medical Service Association (OMSA) announced the decision, confirming that health services across the state will return to normal from tomorrow.

For several days, doctors under OMSA had staged protests over a 10-point charter of demands. They suspended OPD services daily from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., causing severe inconvenience to patients. Despite the state government invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), doctors continued their agitation.

This afternoon, Minister Mukesh Mahaling met OMSA representatives to discuss their demands. After detailed deliberations, the government assured doctors that their concerns would be addressed. Following this assurance, OMSA agreed to withdraw the strike. OMSA President informed the media that the association trusted the government’s commitment and therefore decided to end the protest.

The doctors’ demands included salary hikes, promotions, workplace improvements, and additional benefits. Earlier, the government had formed a secretary-level committee to examine these demands. During today’s meeting, officials promised to fulfil them at the earliest.

The decision brought relief to patients across the state. From tomorrow, OPD, emergency, and other services in government hospitals will function normally. Minister Mahaling described the meeting as successful and thanked doctors for cooperating with the government.