Private medical staff strike hits healthcare services in Odisha

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KalingaTV News Network

Bhubaneswar: Healthcare service was badly hit across the state today following a 24-hour cease work stir called by All Odisha Private Medical Establishment Forum (AOPMEF). All private medicals, clinics, diagnostic centres and patholabs staff protested to the rules framed under the newly formulated Clinical Establishment (Control and Regulation) Act.

At least 1,780 private hospitals and clinics downed their shutters starting from 6 AM in the morning which posed a tough time for patients and their relatives. Similarly, around 300 diagnostic centres and platholabs remained shut during the stir exerting more pressure on the government operated ones.

While the private hospitals and clinics stopped admission of new patients into casualty and OPD units, they continued with the treatment of those who have already been admitted under various departments.

Separate bike rallies were held by the strikers in the state capital Bhubaneswar along with Cuttack and Bhadrak in the morning in support to the cease work.

The Forum is alleging that the new rules introduced recently, have been proved to be hindrances in renewal of the private hospitals and clinics in the state and made it virtually impossible to get licenses for new ones. In addition, the new fire safety rule has been proved to be detrimental in functioning of some of the clinics which are operating in very old buildings, it informed. The Forum has demanded that the state government should amend the Clinical Establishments (Control and Regulation) Rules immediately to allow patients to get healthcare services effectively.

The strikers have also warned the State Government to resort to indefinite closure of the private hospitals if their demands are not met within a month.

In his reaction to media, Forum member Sadanand Sahu said, by amending the law, government should relax the requirements for registration and renewal of licenses of the private hospitals.

Meanwhile, the State Health Ministry has put in place adequate measures to meet the exigencies arising out of the All Odisha Private Medical Establishment Forum (AOPMEF) strike. Leaves of all the doctors and staffs have been cancelled in government run hospitals and more paramedical staffs have been engaged in casualty, trauma care and women & maternal care units for the purpose.

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