Bhubaneswar, July 1: Healthcare services across Odisha were severely disrupted on Wednesday as government doctors launched an indefinite strike under the banner of the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA), pressing for the fulfilment of their long-pending 10-point charter of demands.

The strike affected government hospitals in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and several other districts, with outpatient departments (OPDs) and routine medical services bearing the brunt of the agitation. Doctors abstained from their duties and staged demonstrations outside hospitals, causing inconvenience to hundreds of patients who had arrived for treatment.

According to OMSA, the decision to launch the indefinite strike was taken after the state government allegedly failed to address their demands despite repeated representations over the past one and a half years. The association had earlier announced that the agitation would commence on July 1, observed as National Doctors' Day.

In an effort to prevent the strike, the state government held discussions with OMSA representatives before the scheduled protest. However, the talks failed to produce a breakthrough, with the association claiming that it had little confidence in the government's assurances.

OMSA also warned that if any disciplinary or punitive action is initiated against the protesting doctors, it would intensify the agitation by staging demonstrations outside district Superintendent of Police offices and police stations across the state. The association has also threatened to launch a jail-bharo movement if its demands continue to be ignored.

Meanwhile, the Junior Doctors' Association (JDA) of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack has extended its support to the protest. While continuing emergency and essential healthcare services, junior doctors have begun wearing black badges as a mark of solidarity and urged the government to resolve the issue without further delay. They also warned of stronger protests if the impasse remains unresolved.

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