BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government today asked the agitating contractual nurses to join work within 24 hours or face termination.
The ultimatum was served by Mission Director of National Health Mission (NHM), Odisha, Shalini Pandit.
"I request and direct the agitating contractual nurses to join duty in 24 hours or we will be compelled to terminate them," Pandit told reporters.
Stating that the Health Minister has already assured the agitating nurses to redress their grievances soon, Pandit said "However, some staff nurses refused to call off their stir affecting the health services in the state. Hence, we asked them to join duty within 24 hours." Healthcare in all government hospitals across the state was severely affected as over thousands of nurses staged cease work protest from December 18.
The agitating nurses recruited under NRHM are demanding regularisation of their jobs, up gradation of pay structure and equal pay for equal work with their counterparts working at the state government.