BHUBANESWAR: The medicos’ strike in the three medical college and hospitals (MCHs) is set to continue with another meeting of their representatives with the Government on Saturday failing to break the deadlock. The development comes as a serious setback to the tertiary hospitals who have begun to reel under manpower crisis to render basic minimum health services to the patients. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the three MCHs held a marathon discussion with Health Minister Prasanna Acharya, Home Secretary Upendra Behera, Health Secretary Anu Garg and DMET Prof. PK Dash that lasted for over four hours but failed to resolve the contentious issues. Coming out of the meeting, the JAC announced to continue the strike till the demands are conceded. The Government is as usual trying to resolve the issue through ad hoc arrangements without taking concrete measures to provide security at the VSS Medical, Burla. It had promised to undertake measures to create a unified campus by removing all encroachments and constructing a boundary wall to integrate the departments at the hospital in 2007. But no step has been taken despite a lapse of over four and a half years, the doctors alleged. Calling for intervention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the matter, the medicos of the MCHs said the cease-work agitation would continue. “The attitude of the Government and Health Department authorities is responsible for the protracted stalemate. The Saturday meeting was also marred by the noncommittal stance of the authorities,” said JAC member and Junior Doctors’ Association president, VSS Medical, Dr Premraj Dutta. The VSS has been closed sine die following a clash between junior doctors and supporters of Sisir Kumar Dandia, the president of the local BJD unit. Meanwhile, the Government said it was examining all pending cases against Dandia and would take action as per law. Besides, all charges against medical students related to the incident will be examined by a senior police officer in a fair manner. Steps will be taken for removal of encroachments on the VSS campus by district administration by October 31 and instructions issued to medical college principals and superintendents to chalk out their security plan and involve students’ representatives in formulation of the plan, the Government stated in a release.
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