Dikhyaa Mohanty 
For the next six months, the Odisha government has implemented the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in the healthcare industry. In this regard, a directive was issued on Wednesday by the Department of Home Affairs (Special section) prohibiting medical professionals from engaging in any form of strike, protest, or agitation.
According to a statement from the Home Department, “the State Government do hereby prohibit strikes in exercise of the power conferred by Section -3 of react with Section-2 of the Odisha Essential Services (Maintenance) Act 1988 (Odisha Act 9 of 1992).”
Currently, no government worker providing public health services is able to witness agitation or a strike. Nurses, paramedical personnel, and technicians involved in the upkeep of medical services in government-run hospitals and dispensaries throughout the state, including District Head Quarters Hospitals, Sub-Divisional Hospitals, Area Hospitals, Community Health Centers, Primary Health Centers, Municipality Hospitals, ESI Hospitals, and government-run Medical Colleges and Hospitals, will be subject to strict enforcement of this law.
In a similar vein, ESMA has also been applied to state government employees in Classes III and IV. The Act will be in effect for the ensuing six months.
