Delhi Doctors' Strike Continues, Patients Seen Crying After Not Getting Treatment In Hospitals

FORDA president Dr Manish said if their demands were not met, the resident doctors would hold a protest march to the Union Health Ministry's office at Nirman Bhawan in Delhi.

The doctors are protesting over the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling (File)

New Delhi: Doctors at Delhi's Centre-run Ram Manohar Lohia, Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge hospitals boycotted all routine and emergency services for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, ading to the woes of patients.

The doctors are protesting over the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling. The protest has been called by the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA).

Patients from different states of the country come to Safdarjung Hospital for treatment. On Tuesday, several patients were seen crying and leaving the hospital due to lack of treatment.

A patient who came to get her severed hands treated at the hospital with her husband was not aware of the strike. Patients from far-away areas like Nawada were seen crying at the hospital premises. 

They said they had barely saved enough to come to Delhi to get treated, but now have to return due to the strike. While some patients blamed the government for the situation, others criticised the doctors. 

FORDA president Dr Manish said if their demands were not met, the resident doctors would hold a protest march to the Union Health Ministry's office at Nirman Bhawan in Delhi.

AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) said its members would wear black ribbons at work over the delay in NEET-PG counselling.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to ensure that post-graduate admissions were done on a war footing.

The Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital administration on Monday had issued a circular saying that all residents doctors appointed on ad-hoc "cannot indulge themselves nor participate in any strike activity".

"Non-observance of the rules attracts disciplinary action as deemed fit, including termination. This issue with the approval of Medical Superintendent," the circular warned.

General Secretary of Safdarjung Hospital RDA Dr Anuj Aggarwal told PTI, "We are continuing with the protest because of no concrete action by the Union Health Ministry."