Hundreds of Swasthya Mitras gathered outside the Odisha Legislative Assembly today, defying relentless rain to protest their sudden retrenchment.
Demonstrators were seen lying down on wet tar roads and banging metal utensils (thali bajai) to draw the state government’s attention to their plight, demanding immediate job reinstatement and permanent employment status.
The agitation follows a controversial decision by a third-party outsourcing agency, which issued termination notices on May 29 to roughly 993 Swasthya Mitras across Odisha. These health workers, deployed across more than 700 private hospitals statewide, served as crucial frontline guides at helpdesks—assisting patients and their families in navigating complex medical services.
Eight Years of Frontline Service Cut Short
Protesters highlighted their dedicated track record, pointing out that many had served uninterrupted for nearly eight years, risking their lives as essential workers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After serving the state at the grassroots level for nearly a decade, being dumped overnight via an outsourcing notification is deeply humiliating,” expressed union representatives. The Swasthya Mitra Association is demanding an immediate halt to the predatory third-party outsourcing model in the healthcare sector, urging the administration to pull back all termination notices.
Hospital Services Disrupted, Political Pressure Mounts
With health workers downing tools to join the rally, assistance hubs and helpdesks across hundreds of private empanelled hospitals have come to a standstill. Patient care has suffered noticeable disruption, leaving visiting families stranded without key guidance.
The escalating crisis has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) came out in support of the striking workers, targeting the current state administration over its decision to terminate grassroots healthcare personnel under the guise of new policy framework adjustments.
Warning of Escalated Agitation
Key association leaders—including President Ritanjali Behera, Secretary Manas Kumar Lenka, along with Haji Golam Reheman, Rupesh Kumar Raut, Swagatika Bhanja, and Mahesh Rana—warned that today’s rally is merely a prelude.
The union leadership cautioned that if the government fails to address their legitimate demands and roll back the retrenchment orders unconditionally, the protest will intensify into a state-wide movement in the coming days.
