NEET-PG: Nearly 10 major hosps' RDAs now striking, patient-care affected in city

New Delhi: Nearly ten hospitals' Resident Doctors' Associations have now joined the nationwide protest against the delay in NEET-PG Counselling for 2021 under the banner of FORDA, as a result of which patient care continued to remain affected at these facilities on Wednesday with the Union Health Ministry refusing to give assurances in light of the matter being pending in the Supreme Court and doctors vowing to keep their agitation going.

Resident doctors association of the Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital (RGSSH) on Wednesday morning issued a statement that its members were "withdrawing services" to protest the alleged police action during a face-off between them and medics on Monday, and demanded expediting of the NEET PG counselling process.

Located in east Delhi, RGSSH, which comes under the Delhi government, is one of the key facilities for treatment of COVID-19 in the city. In addition to this, the RDA at the Maulana Azad Medical College here, also with the Delhi government, has also said they are striking with FORDA.

"Senior residents and junior residents have boycotted services from today. But we are trying to compensate with consultants so that patient care is not much affected," a senior official at RGSSH said, adding, about 900-2000

patients visit its OPD daily. Members of the RDAs at the Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya and Northern Railway Central Hospital, one of the busiest facilities in Delhi, also protested and boycotted services.

Northern Railway spokesperson Deepak Kumar confirmed that the doctors at the NR Central Hospital have joined the protest.

Visuals emerged on social media of doctors at the Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya and Northern Railway Central Hospital holding banners with messages like 'Black day for medical fraternity', 'Couselling karao, doctors bulao', and chanting slogans, 'We want justice'. In addition, both the Hindu Rao Hospital and the Kasturba Gandhi Hospitals have also decided to join the strike - leading to fears that services may be seriously affected there too.

The stir by resident doctors in Delhi, who have been protesting over the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling entered into its 13th day on Wednesday. President of the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) Dr Manish said, "The strike was still on". Due to the stir, patient care has been affected at three Centre-run facilities of Safdarjung, RML and Lady Hardinge hospitals and some of the Delhi government-run hospitals as well.

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association had on Tuesday night said they would continue the protest after strongly condemning the FIR filed against them for protesting at ITO. They had said that the Centre had refused to apologise for the police brutality at the protest on Monday and could not provide any assurances about setting a Counselling date and so the agitation would continue.