Bhubaneswar, March 23: The All Odisha AYUSH Doctors Association (AOADA) announced a statewide strike from March 27, demanding permanent employment, equal pay with government Ayurveda and Homeopathy doctors, access to higher education, regular medicine supply, inclusion in a Rs20 lakh health insurance scheme for themselves and their families, and a one-time compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the families of doctors who die in service.

The association will stage a peaceful protest at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar to press for their demands.

AYUSH doctors have been serving under the National Health Mission (NHM) for 18 years, playing a critical role in community health, emergency care, maternal and child healthcare, and implementing central and state government health programs. Despite their contributions, 1,485 AYUSH doctors working in Community Health Centers (CHCs) and Primary Health Centers (PHCs) continue to be denied regularization.

Dr. Prashant Kumar Padhi, President, AOADA, stated, "For nearly two decades, AYUSH doctors have been the backbone of Odisha's healthcare system, yet we remain on temporary contracts without fair wages or job security. If our demands are not addressed, we will be forced to intensify our protest."

The State General Secretary, Dr. Pravas Chandra Swain, added, "The government has made multiple promises but taken no concrete steps. Despite forming committees and receiving recommendations for regularization, AYUSH doctors have been left out. We have no choice but to begin an indefinite strike."

The association highlighted that while 8,195 contractual health workers, including nurses, pharmacists, and lab technicians, were regularized through a cabinet decision on February 22, 2019, AYUSH doctors were deliberately excluded. Several discussions with the government have failed to bring any resolution, pushing them towards this protest.

The association has warned the state government that if their long-pending demands are not met, the responsibility for any disruption in healthcare services across Odisha will lie entirely with the government.

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