The Odisha Government on Monday imposed Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) on all Nurses, Pharmacists, Paramedics, health workers and other employees of Government Healthcare Centres for six months.

The Home Department of the State Government has issued a notification, bringing the nurses, pharmacists, paramedics, technicians and other Class III and Class IV employees engaged in state-run healthcare centres, including medical colleges and hospitals and health institutes receiving Government grants, under Odisha Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, prohibiting them from going on strikes.

The prohibition is applicable to those working in Districts Headquarters Hospitals, Sub-Divisional Hospitals, Community Health Centres, Primary Health Centres, Municipality Hospitals, ESI hospitals, Medical Colleges and Hospitals and other autonomous health institutions receiving grant-in-aid from the State Government, specifically AHRCC, Regional Spinal Injury Centre, Jail Hospitals and Police Hospitals.

The order will remain in force for six months with affect from the date of issue.