Agitating homoeopathy students of the government-run Utkalmani Homeopathy Medical College & Hospital (UHMCH) in Rourkela on Thursday, August 31, locked the academic block in support of the demands of the All Odisha AYUSH Students' Association (AOASA) for creation of new posts, stated a report in The New Indian Express.

Under the umbrella banner of the AOASA, the students of four homoeopathic medical colleges and hospitals and three ayurvedic medical colleges and hospitals across Odisha have been on agitation demanding the instant creation of 500 posts of homoeopathic medical officers (HMOs) and ayurvedic medical officers (AMOs) each. 

They further demand the subsequent creation of 100 posts of HMOs and AMOs each every year till fulfilment of the guidelines of the National AYUSH Mission (NAM). 

AOASA Vice-President Dr Ashish Mohapatra said since 2002, not a single new post has been created, adding that as per NAM guidelines that ask for one AYUSH doctor per 5,000 population, Odisha has one AYUSH doctor for 35,000 population. 

He said during the COVID-19 pandemic the government desperately needed manpower hence, took the contractual services of AYUSH doctors and now they are left idle. 

He said every year, 300-400 AYUSH doctors are produced by the seven AYUSH medical colleges and hospitals in Odisha, but new AYUSH doctors have no future. He said due to neglect and inadequate availability of AYUSH doctors in the government healthcare system the AYUSH system has failed to gain popularity among the masses.