Bhubaneswar: In a bid to ensure uninterrupted healthcare service, the state government has extended the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) for another six months.
The Home department Wednesday issued a notification saying ESMA would remain in force for another six months beginning December 19.
The state government is satisfied that in the interest of public, it is necessary to prohibit strikes in the form of cessation of work by the doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians, other class-III and class-IV employees etc including contractual employees in services/engagements connected with maintenance of medical services in the government hospitals and dispensaries in the state, the notification said.
The order will be effective for all healthcare institutions including medical colleges and hospitals run by government and other autonomous health institutions receiving grant-in-aid from the state government so that healthcare delivery system in the state is not disrupted.