Junior Doctors From PMCH Go On Strike Over Delay In NEET PG Counselling

As a mark of protest, the junior doctors have declared an indefinite strike on all departments except the Emergency wards.

Junior Doctors From PMCH Go On Strike Over Delay In NEET PG Counselling: File Image

New Delhi: Junior doctors from Patna Medical College and Hospital have gone on strike from Wednesday over the delay in NEET PG counselling.

As a mark of protest, the junior doctors have declared an indefinite strike on all departments except the Emergency wards. They said that they would boycott work at OPD and other wards.

On Wednesday, the junior doctors demonstrated outside the hospital OPD by displaying banners and posters. During this protest, they also said that junior doctors all across Bihar will boycott their work unless the students who passed the NEET PG exam in 2021 are counselled and can join the workforce.

Dr Kundan Kumar, President, PMCH Junior Doctors Association, said that the nation may possibly face a third wave of Covid-19 in the near future. In this situation, hospitals all across the country will be in need of more junior doctors. However, there is an acute shortage owing to the delay in NEET PG counselling.

"A large number of doctors would be needed to handle the anticipated surge in Covid cases. How do you expect us to work in such a pressurising situation? Therefore, new junior doctors should join the hospitals as soon as possible and all the demands of the protesting doctors should be met. In a nutshell, this strike is for the benefit of people, as they could be treated better with a good team of doctors," he said. 

Explaining the need for higher number of doctors in present times, another doctor said, "The government has put a pause on counselling of NEET PG students. In such a situation, we have been forced to carry out this strike keeping in mind provision of better health facilities for the general public. We are carrying out this protest to oppose the government's apathy towards the situation, which would clearly impact people of Bihar. We request the Central Government to start counselling for NEET PG 2021 candidates."