SAMBALPUR: The Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) of VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla on Wednesday decided to continue its agitation till its demands are met.
The members of the association have been on cease work since November 17 demanding removal of VIMSAR director Ashwini Pujahari from his post. The decision to continue the agitation was taken at the general body meeting of JDA, held at VIMSAR premises on Wednesday. This comes a day after the association representatives met Health Minister Pratap Jena over the demand in Bhubaneswar. JDA vice-president Himanshu Mishra said the State Government is yet to initiate any action against Pujahari despite the association’s genuine demand. He said documents and evidence to substantiate the allegations levelled by the association against Pujahari have already been submitted to the Government. Mishra said the four-member team of Health and Family department which probed the veracity of the allegations against the director is yet to submit its report. “We have decided to continue the cease work as the Government has remained indifferent towards the issue,” he said.
Earlier in the day, a meeting was convened in the presence of Sambalpur Collector Samarth Verma, dean and principal of VIMSAR Braja Mohan Mishra besides the representatives of JDA. The association representatives were urged to withdraw the cease work at the meeting. However, they refused to budge from their stand. JDA alleged that the poor and helpless patients are being harassed and humiliated regularly by Pujahari and demanded his immediate removal from the post.
Meanwhile, the cease work has badly affected health services in VIMSAR, which is the tertiary health centre of Western Odisha. VIMSAR authorities had requested the State Government to provide at least 60 doctors to manage the prevailing situation.