NEET PG Counselling Expedition: Strike break ends today, Doctors to go for Complete Shutdown of Services from Tomorrow

The confirmation regarding this was given by the President of FORDA, Dr. Manish, who informed Medical Dialogues that this time both the routine and emergency services would be boycotted by the doctors.

For the last one week, the doctors had taken a break from their strike following the assurances given by the Union Health Ministry, which had promised that the problems related to NEET-PG counselling would be sorted soon.

The doctors had been protesting against the continuous delay in the NEET-PG Counselling, which was scheduled 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).

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that 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- RML, Safdarjung, and Lady Hardinge- had decided to boycott emergency services as well.

Also Read: Centre assures action on NEET PG Counselling delay: Doctors Suspend strike for 1 week

However, after receiving strong assurances from the Union Health Ministry and the Central Government, FORDA had decided to suspend their strike activities for the time being and resume OPD and emergency services.

At that time, FORDA had clarified that "In case the issue is not addressed by 16th December, 2021, we will be forced to call for complete shutdown of all services except COVID areas in healthcare institutions."

The deadline given by the resident doctors' association ends today and the problems regarding the NEET-PG Counselling is yet to get sorted.

Meanwhile, FORDA has already written to the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on December 15 and in that letter of intimation, the doctors pointed out how the Resident doctors across India have waited patiently since the agitation was put on hold on December 9 for 1 week, following the plea by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

"However, the plight of overburdened & exhausted Resident Doctors seems to have fallen on deaf ears of the authorities who do not seem to be concerned about the shortage of healthcare workforce due to non-admission of fresh batch of Resident Doctors. With the threat of 3rd wave of COVID-19 Pandemic looming large, the best the authorities could have done, was to expedite the Counselling & subsequent Admission process - instead, there is inaction & lack of urgency in the matter. Hence, as informed earlier, Resident Doctors are left with no choice but to go for "Withdrawal from all Services" (Routine as well as Emergency) in healthcare institutions, 17th December, 2021 onwards. The onus of this unfortunate situation affecting healthcare services is on the concerned authorities," FORDA mentioned in the letter directed to the Union Health Minister.

"We would hereby once again urge you to take necessary measures for fast-tracking Court hearing & for expediting NEET-PG 2021 Counselling & Admission process for rejuvenating the healthcare sector with adequate workforce, in best interest of the nation's population," FORDA added in the letter.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues regarding the matter, the President of FORDA, Dr. Manish told Medical Dialogues, "We will continue our strike till the counselling schedule is released. Residents from across the country will be on strike and this time it will be complete shutdown from day 1 itself."

"We will shut down both routine and emergency services," Dr. Manish added briefly.

Also Read: NEET PG Counselling delay: Here is how doctors reacted Pan India