India will see its biggest revolution in healthcare: Junior medicos boycott all services, including emergency, in NEET PG issue

The doctors have been demanding for the expedition of the NEET PG counselling so that the 45,000 PG doctors who have been out of the healthcare sector for a year now are reinstated
Pic: Edexlive
Pic: Edexlive

A wasted academic year and strapped medical services. Residents doctors in Delhi are boycotting all services, including emergency services from December 17 to register their protest against the delay in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) counselling, which they claim is costing healthcare services in India 45,000 junior doctors. The protests were put on hold for a week from December 9 after the centre had assured the striking doctors that they would look into the matter, and take steps to fast-track the NEET PG counselling process. 

However, a week has elapsed since then, and the resident doctors' associations across the country are calling the centre out on false promises and their "ignorant attitude" towards the impact of the delay on healthcare services, and on the wellbeing of the overworked junior doctors. The doctors have said that India is going to witness "the biggest healthcare revolution" as doctors in some major hospitals in Delhi have announced that they are excusing themselves from all duties, including emergency services. The resident doctors of Safdarjung and VMC Hospitals in Delhi said in a statement, "With the imminent threat of a third wave of COVID-19, it is evident from the lackadaisical and ignorant attitude of the concerned authorities that the healthcare, plight of overburdened doctors and suffering of patients is not of any importance to them at all.

The nationwide call for protest was first issued by the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) after the Supreme Court hearing of the case against OBC and EWS reservations in the All India Quota seat on November 25. The centre had then asked for 4 weeks time to review the criteria which had been questioned by the SC for being 'arbitrary'. The NEET PG exam, which had originally been scheduled for January this year, was postponed multiple times due to COVID-19, and finally happened on September 11. However, the counselling process was put on hold until the SC's verdict on the case against OBC and EWS reservation, which was filed by NEET PG qualified students from upper castes. The next hearing for the case is on January 6.
 

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