SAMBALPUR: Contractual Ayush doctors and paramedical staff engaged in Covid duty took out a rally and staged dharna in front of the collectorate protesting the government’s decision to disengage them from December 31.
They submitted a memorandum to Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal through the district administration. The agitating doctors, pharmacists, GNM, ANM and health workers requested the Governor to intervene in the matter and advise the government to refrain from disengaging them from Covid duty till the State is completely free from the virus.
According to Saplin Pradhan, a pharmacist, the government engaged nine Ayush doctors, 14 pharmacists, 29 GNMs, 64 ANMs and 10 male health workers in Sambalpur district on contractual basis on April 6 to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. “Despite the risk, we discharged our duties sincerely as people were reluctant to take care of Covid patients. The situation has improved now due to our relentless efforts. However, the government has decided to disengage us from jobs which is an act of injustice,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, another contractual pharmacist Ranjan Kumar Naik said around 150 regular medical and paramedical posts are lying vacant in the district since 2013. “Though we worked during the crisis period, the government is not considering to fill up those vacancies by recruiting us,” he said.
Sambalpur ADM Umakanta Raj received the memorandum from the agitators and assured them to place their demands at the appropriate forum.