NEET PG Counselling Delay: Health Ministry Urges SC for Speedy Hearing, Doctors warn of protest escalation

This comes after the Health Minister himself had promised the resident doctors at RML Hospital that the Central Government would press for an early hearing of the matter.

NEET PG Counselling in the 50 percent AIQ seats was set to commence from October 25, 2021. However, as the OBC and EWS reservation policy that was announced by the Central Government was challenged before the Supreme Court, MCC had postponed the counselling process and it cannot commence until the Central Government revisits the Rs 8 lakh annual income limit set for determining the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).

The medicos have been protesting against the continuous delay in the NEET-PG Counselling process by stopping the OPD services. Recently, resident doctors in three Delhi-based hospitals had decided to boycott emergency services as well.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Union Health Minister Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday met the protesting doctors at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital in the national capital. He held a meeting with representatives of Resident Doctors' Associations (RDAs) of various hospitals in Delhi at the RML. The doctors were assured in the meeting that the Union government will press for an early hearing of the pending matter regarding the EWS reservation before the Supreme Court.

Also Read: No NEET PG Counselling: Resident Doctors Suspend Emergency Services, Health Minister Gives Assurance

IANS adds that recently the Medical Counselling Committee has written to the top court, requesting early hearing of the matter so that the counselling for 2021 - already delayed two times - can start, and this development has been communicated verbally to the striking doctors, protesting against the delay which has results in medical students losing out a year and also scarcity of hospital staff.

However, representatives of the striking doctors say they will continue the strike till they get written assurance from the government on their key demand.

Talking to IANS, RML Resident Doctors Association spokesman, Dr Manish Jangra, said that they will continue their strike till they get a written assurance from the ministry.

Resident doctors at three top government-run hospitals in Delhi- the Ram Manohar Lohia, Safdarjung, and Lady Hardinge Hospitals had started boycotting emergency services.

Previously, while speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr. Manish, the President of FORDA had mentioned about the possibility of other RDAs to join this move.

RML Hospital Warns Ad-hoc Resident Doctors:

However, the authorities of RML Hospital have issued a warning to the resident doctors employed on an ad-hoc basis. Issuing a circular regarding the matter, the hospital has asked all the resident doctors not to participate in the strike activity otherwise disciplinary action can be taken which may also include termination from service.

"All resident doctors who are appointed on ad-hoc basis are informed that they cannot indulge themselves nor participate in any strike activity. The non observance of the rules attracts disciplinary action as deemed fit including termination," it read.

FAIMA Calls for Escalation of Protest:

The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) had conducted an Emergency Meeting of the National Action Committee (NAC) comprising of state RDAs and FAIMA office bearers.

"It has been noted by the NAC that the letter issued by the DGHS is addressed to the Deputy Governement advocate and does not amount to significant response in this matter by the MoHFW, GoI considering the sensitivity and importance of this issue. The emergency meeting was attended by office bearers of various national, state and individual RDAs including Delhi and more than 10 states who are agitating throughout the country," FAIMA mentioned in its Press Release.

"Majority of the RDAs are compassionate towards our patients and our healthcare system and are willing to end the nationwide strike once an urgent hearing commences in the Supreme Court and an early commencement of NEET PG 2021 Counselling is announced. However, the current response by the Government of India has been unanimously deemed unsatisfactory and without any substantial merit which may allow RDAs to join elective or emergency services," the release added.

Warning of escalating the agitation, FAIMA has further added in the release, "There has been a unanimous decision by the NAC to continue the strike in various forms throughout the country in the form of withdrawal from elective and/or emergency services. RDAs in the larger interest of preventing the collapse of the healthcare system, have no other alternative but to continue their agitation and will be prepared to escalate the agitation if necessary to ensure early recruitment of healthcare workforce to prevent any looming healthcare catastrophe."

"We take this opportunity to re-appeal to the Government and the Honourable Supreme Court of India to understand the gravity of the situation and take immediate concrete measures which ensure commencement of counselling, failing which the onus of the impact of the nationwide agitation by resident doctors on the healthcare system will be solely on the government," FAIMA added in the release.