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SCB staff stick to their guns

CUTTACK: Even as the cease work agitation by SCB hospital staff entered the third day on Friday, there is no sign of any let-off as the striking employees refuse to relent until their demands are fulfilled. Junior doctors, house surgeons, nursing staff and MBBS students have been on strike since Wednesday protesting against attack on them by the attendants of a deceased patient on Tuesday night.

The striking doctors are demanding better security arrangement inside the hospital and removal of hospital superintendent J.K. Balabantray, who has been given the additional charge of the medical college principal.

The agitating employees were of the view that Dr. Balabantray was incapable of handling two crucial posts.

Meanwhile, the health services inside the hospital have started suffering due to boycott of duties by junior doctors for last three days. “Junior doctors are the backbone of the hospital.

In their absence, patients are feeling let down,” say attendants and other visitors to the hospital.

Although, senior doctors are putting in some extra hours to manage the show, it yields no result. “Situation is likely to worsen further if the strike continues for a few more days,” said a senior doctor of the medicine department.

The striking doctors on Friday reiterated that their cease work stir would continue until their demands were fulfilled. “Asking for adequate security inside the hospital is very genuine because it is always unsafe to work in the night shift inside the hospital which is now fast turning out to be a haven for anti-social elements,” said JDA secretary Paresh Behera.

State director for medical education and training (DMET) Nayan Kishore Mohanty visited the hospital on Friday and held discussions with several senior professors.

But, no solution was in sight as the striking doctors stuck to their demands. Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), central range, Suresh Chandra Mohapatra also convened a meeting along with Cuttack Superintendent of Police to discuss the security arrangements inside the hospital.

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