OPDs affected as doctors of 3 Delhi hospitals boycott work

Docs threaten to boycott emergency services as well if NEET-PG counselling not done

New Delhi, Dec. 3: Intensifying the protest called by the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) over the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling, resident doctors of the Centre-run RML, Safdarjung, and Lady Hardinge hospitals in Delhi boycotted all routine services on Friday. Resident doctors at a few Delhi government-run facilities, like the LNJP Hospital and the DDU Hospital, also refused to offer services in OPDs even as emergency services were rendered.

Some assembled on the premises of various hospitals, holding placards and raising slogans. The Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital has warned the administration that its members will withdraw from emergency services if no concrete step is taken by the stakeholders to ensure immediate completion of NEET-PG counselling.

“Due to insensitive response of governing bodies responsible for the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling, we are compelled to boycott all routine services at RML Hospital (OPDs, special clinics, IPDs, Elective OTS) from December 3 till the time our genuine grievances are not fulfilled,” the RDA said.

“All emergency services in the hospital will run as usual. However, if no concrete steps are taken by the stakeholders to ensure immediate completion of NEET-PG counselling 2021, we will be forced to take the extreme and harsh decision of shutting down the emergency services as well and complete responsibility will be on the administration,” it said.

The RML Resident Doctors’ Association said the decision was taken in consensus with the national and state RDAs. An action plan will be decided after meeting with them, it said.

With the possibility of an imminent Covid wave, the counselling process must be started at the earliest to prevent the collapse of the healthcare system, the RDA said.

“We request all stakeholders and administrative authorities to ensure that the process of induction of new doctors is completed at the earliest,” it added.

Resident doctors of the three Centre-run hospitals in the national capital had withdrawn from rendering OPD services from November 27 to November 29 as a mark of protest against the delay in NEETPG 2021 counselling.

The Safdarjung Hospital RDA, in an intimation to the medical superintendent, said there have been repeated delays in conducting the NEET-PG 2021 counselling despite multiple reminders and communications with the ministry and authorities concerned.

“As the third wave of Covid is imminent, we wish to reiterate that we are grossly understaffed as the PG residents of the 2021 batch have not yet joined,” it said.

“The resident doctors are exhausted and on the verge of a breakdown. Still, they have been patiently waiting and working with resilience for patient’s care,” the association said.

“As the withdrawal of OPD services didn’t bring any concrete response from the authorities, we are pained to inform that we shall withdraw all our routine services from December 3 in support of the nationwide protest called by FORDA.”

◗ The RML Resident Doctors’ Association said the decision was taken in consensus with the national and state RDAs. An action plan will be decided after meeting with them, it said. With the possibility of an imminent Covid wave, the counselling process must be started at the earliest to prevent the collapse of the healthcare system, the RDA said.