Even though the State Government had on Saturday issued an ultimatum to the striking contractual nurses to rejoin their duties within 24 hours or face dismissal, they continued their strike on Sunday.
Moreover, the contractual nurses received a shot in their arms with the Odisha Nursing Association extending support to their agitation. Association president Dharitri Sahu said the association members would wear black badges to express solidarity with the protestors from December 28. If the Government doesn’t fulfil the agitating nurses’ demands by January 2, the Odisha Nursing Association would hold a peaceful dharna from January 5, Sahu added.
Sources said that as the contractual nurses’ association president and secretary have quit their posts, the association’s new functionaries would be elected soon.
Meanwhile, patient services in the Government medical college hospitals in Cuttack, Brahmapur and Burla and District Headquarters Hospitals (DHHs) have been hit due to the nurses’ strike.
Though the authorities tried to rope in trainee nurses to cope with the crisis, the agitators prevented them from joining duties.