Nabarangpur: The protest by 37 laid-off health workers in various hospitals of Nabarangpur district has been temporarily suspended. These workers had been demonstrating in front of the District Collector’s office since February 12 after being dismissed from their jobs. However, they have warned that if the government does not reinstate them by April 26, they will resume their protest and take to the streets.
According to the Health Department, the layoffs occurred due to a lack of funds to pay salaries. The matter has been reported to the government, and a request has been made to allocate funds from the corpus fund to pay the employees. The Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) informed the workers of this, leading to their decision to temporarily pause the protest.
Despite long-standing demands for reinstatement, the administration did not engage in discussions with the workers. This led opposition political parties and various organizations to hold press conferences, criticizing the government and expressing solidarity with the protesting workers. While other districts had reinstated dismissed workers, the protestors questioned why Nabarangpur had not followed suit.
Political Leaders Intervene
Several women employees, some with their children, had been actively participating in the protest. As the summer heat intensifies, and after receiving assurances from the Health Department, the protestors decided to temporarily suspend their demonstration.
On March 23, leaders from multiple political parties visited the protest site and urged the workers to call off their demonstration. Congress leaders Muna Tripathi, Abdul Firoz, and Prakash Samantaray, along with BJD leaders Saroj Patra, Manjula Majhi, Uttam Tripathi, and Simanchal Padhi, and Bikash Parishad leader Bhagaban Bairagi, were among those present. Senior leader Chandradhwaj Majhi personally offered juice to the protesters and convinced them to end the sit-in.
Background of the Layoffs
The affected health workers were contract employees hired through L&K Outsourcing Agency for the Health Department. After two years of service, 37 workers were abruptly dismissed on January 31, 2025, through an official notice.
The laid-off employees included:
6 pharmacists
2 lab technicians
29 nursing officers
They questioned why only they were dismissed while others remained employed. After meeting with the CDMO, they were informed that the government had stopped providing funds for their salaries.
The workers had demanded reinstatement within seven days, warning of further protests if their demands were not met. Since no action was taken, they had been protesting day and night outside the District Collector’s office since February 12, braving both cold and extreme heat.
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