The Asian Age

Resident docs at RML to boycott work from today

OPD services have already been affected in Delhi’s 3 hospitals, including RML

- AGE CORRESPOND­ENT NEW DELHI, DEC. 5

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 Hospital, on Sunday, announced they will boycott emergency services from Monday.

The out-patient department (OPD) services in RML Hospital has already been affected along with those of two other hospitals—Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge—in the national capital.

This comes days after the Resident Doctors’ Associatio­n (RDA) at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital 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.

As of now, the doctors have been boycotting all routine services, including those in OPDs, special clinics, in-patient department­s (IPDs), and elective operation theatres from December 3.

“The doctors are demanding the completion of the counsellin­g process in view of the looming third wave of the coronaviru­s pandemic. The doctors say it is necessary for the process to start immediatel­y to prevent the collapse of the healthcare system,” the RDA had said in a statement earlier.

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

There have been repeated delays in conducting the NEET-PG 2021 counsellin­g despite multiple reminders and communicat­ions with the ministry and authoritie­s concerned, the RDA of Safdarjung hospital said.

“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 added.

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

Resident doctors at a few Delhi government-run facilities like the LNJP Hospital and the DDU Hospital have also refused to offer services in OPDs over the same issues.

◗ THE DOCTORS have been boycotting all routine services, including those in OPDs, special clinics, in-patient department­s (IPDs), and elective operation theatres from December 3.

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