Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), July 17: Patient care at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, was disrupted on Wednesday as more than 250 house surgeons initiated an indefinite strike following escalated tensions with nursing staff. The house surgeons alleged misconduct and lack of cooperation from the nursing staff, demanding disciplinary action and a public apology.
The striking house surgeons, who had protested on Tuesday, also called for the establishment of a clear standard operating procedure (SOP) for hospital operations.
While they agreed to continue emergency services, the house surgeons announced a boycott of general duties in outpatient departments, wards, and operating theaters.
In response, nursing staff members, who also accused house surgeons of similar behavior, decided to wear black badges for three days and threatened further protests starting July 24 if immediate measures were not taken to resolve the conflict.
The confrontation initially stemmed from an altercation between a doctor and a nursing officer during patient care in the hospital’s medicine department on Monday night. Subsequent involvement of other medical personnel intensified the situation, leading to broader grievances and protests.
The house surgeons additionally criticized the nursing staff for allegedly spreading misinformation and damaging the hospital’s and doctors’ reputations in the media. They demanded an apology from the nursing association and urged them to refrain from making false statements to the press.
