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Strike throws health services out of gear

BHUBANESWAR: Agitation demanding upward revision of salary kicked off by doctors seems to have spread to all organs of health sector with pharmacists on Saturday deciding to wear black badges for a week before taking a “drastic step”.

The threat from pharmacists came at a time when government health service was passing through a crisis following indefinite strike being continued by nurses at all government-run hospitals across the State.

Though homoeopathic and ayurvedic doctors called off their strike after health secretary gave a “positive assurance” to examine their demands including hiking of salary, these doctors, however, declared that “their silence was temporary.”

Meanwhile, veterinary doctors, who had been wearing black badges protesting against “step-motherly treatment”, said they were ready to go on indefinite strike from April 1, the foundation day of State of Orissa.

The State government evaded a critical situation after it managed to persuade junior doctors at three government medical college hospitals to withdraw from their strike.

On Saturday, hundreds of pharmacists under the banner of Orissa Pharmacists’ Service Association (OPSA) took out a rally along Mahatma Gandhi marg pointing out anomalies in their pay-scale compared to other government services that required identical qualification.“Our role in rendering health services is no less important than doctors. We do our duties for more than 10 hours a day. Though our educational qualification and work pressure are at par with other cadres such as diploma engineers and ophthalmic assistants, pharmacists are drawing lower pay of scale,” OPSA president Malay Kumar Mishra said.“We were about to go on a mass leave, but the State Government convened a meeting with OPSA on April 4, when important decisions could be taken.

If response is not be satisfactory, all pharmacists will be forced go on a mass leave,” Mr. Mishra said.

Pharmacists demanded that their basic pay scale should be enhanced from Rs. 4000 to Rs. 5000 and the next three promotions should be fixed at Rs. 6500, Rs. 7500 and Rs. 8000 respectively.

Meanwhile, situation has deteriorated in government run hospitals further after nurses abstained from their duties for third successive day.

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