Bhubaneswar: All Odisha Ayush Doctors Association (AOADA), representing Ayush doctors of Odisha working under the National Health Mission (NHM), has announced an indefinite non-cooperation movement from March 20 unless the government meets their demand for job regularisation. “The decision comes after the government fails to regularise AYUSH doctors working in community health centers (CHCs) and primary health centers (PHCs) in the state, despite repeated promises. The last cabinet before the general elections had promised regularisation but took no action,” said AOADA president Lotus Mishra here Monday.
Currently, 1,126 Ayush doctors are working on contract at 1,485 CHCs/PHCs in the state, who have been appealing to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for job regularisation. Mishra said, “The National Health Mission’s 2014 declaration promised to regularise the employment of doctors and all paramedical staff. Although approximately 8,195 positions for nurses, pharmacists, and ANMs were regularised through a cabinet decision, AYUSH doctors were overlooked. If the government does not act by March 19, we will be compelled to begin a non-cooperation movement.” “We will refrain from providing any services other than Ayush and inpatient services, including telemedicine services, health programmes, supervision, and training,” she said. The association general secretary Pravas Chandra Swain said, “Even though the appointment of Ayush doctors has been done according to ORV, their job has not been regularized, despite promises from various levels of the government. Even though the Chief Minister’s Office assured us regularisation after the 2019 general election, no action was taken. If our demands are not met, we will start an indefinite non-cooperation movement from March 20.” Notably, the Ayush doctors have been working, sometimes in rural and remote areas of the state, on a contractual basis for the last 15 years under the National Health Mission, and have played a crucial role in fighting the Covid pandemic in the state.
