Odisha Pharmacists’ Service Association (OPSA) president Jaladhar Sethy on Thursday said they would stage a dharna and “Samuhika Atmadaha” (collective self-immolation) on October 3 in front of the Naveen Niwas and the State Secretariat if their demands are fulfilled.
Addressing a Press conference here, Sethy said the State Government has been turning a deaf ear towards the problems of the pharmacists at the Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, Sub-Divisional Hospitals, District Headquarters Hospitals and medical college hospitals.
The pharmacists have served for more than 12 years on contractual basis, but their services are not regularised as yet. Many issues relating to them have not yet been discussed by the authorities despite several representations repeatedly given to the Government, Sethy said.
The demands include restructuring of the grade pay as Rs4,200, Rs4,600, Rs4,800, Rs5,400 as per the GO No.11639/27.08/2013; appointment of pharmacists with the minimum qualification of BPharma; posting of pharmacists according to the patients’ attendance at PHCs, CHCs, SDHs, DHHs and medical colleges hospitals; and introduction of grade pay from January 1, 2013, Sethy said.
