Odisha Imposes ESMA to Prohibit Strikes by Paramedics, Other Employees in Govt Healthcare Centres

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has imposed Odisha Essential Services (Maintenance) Act to prohibit strikes by nurses, pharmacists, paramedics, technicians and other Class III and Class IV employees engaged in state-run healthcare centres, including medical colleges and hospitals and health institutes receiving government grants.

“In the interest of public, it is necessary to prohibit strikes in the form of cessation of work by nurses, pharmacists, paramedics, technicians, other class-III and Class-IV employees, including contractual employees in services/engagements connected with maintenance of medical services in government hospitals and dispensaries in the State like district head quarters hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, area hospitals, community health centre, primary health centres, municipality hospitals, ESI hospitals etc including medical college and hospital run by the government and other autonomous health institutions receiving grant-in-aid from State Government, specially AHRCC, Regional Spinal Injury Centre including jail hospitals, police hospitals etc so that healthcare delivery system in the State is not affected/disrupted”, an order issued by the Home Department said.

The order, which was issued on April 16, will remain in force for six months, it stated.