Resident Doctors Boycott Emergency Duty, Want NEET PG Counselling 2021 Process Expedited

The boycott was called by the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) against the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling after being tried for the lack of response and remaining unheard.

Doctors stage a protest over over postponement of National Eligibility Entrance Test postgraduate (NEET PG) counselling 2021, in Kanpur. (Imasge Source: PTI)

New Delhi: Amid the threat of Omicron, all emergency services along with routine services have been boycotted by all resident doctors of Safdarjung, Ram Manohar Lohia and  Lady Hardinge Hospital & Associated hospitals along with UCMS & GTB, MAMC.

Other hospitals are expected to join soon by boycotting emergency services too in addition to boycotting all routine services due to the delay in NEET counselling. 

The boycott was called by the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) against the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling. Tried of the lack of response and remaining unheard, the resident doctors decided to boycott services. Meanwhile, the protesting resident doctors at RML hospitals said that due to the delay in counselling of NEET PG, the Resident Doctors Association has announced that from December 6, resident doctors of hospitals across the country will boycott the emergency service apart from OPD.

The demonstration began this morning, they said that the current batch is under a lot of pressure. 

Safdarjung hospital's DG Health Services Dr Sunil Kumar told the protesting doctors, to wait for some time and they are approaching SC with a plea.

"Give us today’s time. The govt is working on this issue. We are approaching Supreme Court with a plea to allow Counselling. I have been told to convey that the concerned Minister will try to talk to you", he was quoted by ANI.

In a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the FORDA has said healthcare institutions across the country are running short of an adequate workforce of resident doctors, with no admission in the current academic year yet.

"With the possibility of future Covid pandemic wave looming large, the situation will be disastrous for the healthcare sector with its bearing on the country's population," it has said PTI reported. 

"There seems to be no initiative or measure taken yet for expediting the (NEET-PG) counselling. Therefore, following discussions with various RDA representatives of Delhi, we have decided to escalate our agitation further and withdraw all services (routine and emergency) in healthcare institutions from Monday," the letter read.

However, we are pained to bring to your notice that we have not received any positive response or concrete action from the Union Ministry of Health and the authorities concerned," it said.

The organization also informed in the letter they are left with "no other option than boycotting the emergency services from Monday".

Similar letters have also been written by the RDAs of the Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge hospitals.