Strike affects physio services

BARIPADA: Usually crowded with patients and attendants with barely space to walk, the District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) at Baripada hospital on Friday wore a deserted look. All the staffers, including physiotherapists of the centre, boycotted work protesting the State Government’s apathy in fulfilling their long-standing demands.

The boycott, which entered its second day, gave a tough time to patients across all Government hospitals in Mayurbhanj district. Several patients, who needed physiotherapy, had to return without service for the last two days. Around 70 people visit the DDRC daily. The officials and physiotherapists of the centre on Thursday launched an indefinite agitation seeking fulfilment of their demands, including regularisation of their jobs. They locked the DDRC gate after the district administration failed to take any step in this regard. 

As per reports, the State Government had created 51 posts for eight DDRCs in the State on October 31 last year. All the employees of these centres work on a consolidated pay.DDRC secretary Bipin Bihari Behera said at least eight employees have been working on a consolidated pay. The employees are demanding regularisation of their service and all benefits as per the norms. But the Health department is yet to take steps in this regard. They have been working in the DDRC for the last 15 years with low remuneration, he added.