Odisha: Nurses of state-run hospitals announce 2-day agitation

Bhubaneswar: Nursing staff of state-run hospitals and healthcare centres in Odisha announced a two-day agitation from Wednesday over their 10-point demand that includes regularisation of contractual workers and scrapping of outsourcing.

Odisha Nursing Employees' Association (ONEA) president Suchismita Dash said they have raised their demands before the state government several times but it is not paying any heed to those.

"Therefore, we have decided to launch a protest on Wednesday without disturbing emergency medical services," she said. Dash said the association will go for cease work on September 27 if the demands are not met.

Director of Nursing Artabandhu Nayak asked the chief of all the state-run healthcare facilities to take action against the nursing staff if they cease work under the Odisha Emergency Services (Maintenance) Act, 1988.