After a month of protests, resident doctors call off strike

After protesting over delays in NEET-PG counselling for about a month, during which they also withdrew from emergency services for two weeks, the FORDA on Friday called off the strike.

NEW DELHI: After protesting over delays in NEET-PG counselling for about a month, during which they also withdrew from emergency services for two weeks, the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) on Friday called off the strike. In a statement, the doctors’ body said emergency services in hospitals will resume by noon.

Resident doctors are seen at a protest over the delay in NEET-PG counselling at Lady Hardinge Hospital in New Delhi on Thursday. (Hindustan Times)

The protesting doctors said that in a meeting with representatives from the Union health ministry, they were assured that the government would submit a committee report to the Supreme Court by January 6 and would publish the NEET-PG 2021 counselling schedule following a court hearing on that date.

“On December 30, a series of meetings of FORDA representatives was held with multiple Delhi police officials... They (Delhi police) also assured that the FIR that was lodged against resident doctors will be taken care of as per legal procedures,” the FORDA said in the statement. “It was unanimously decided to call off the agitation on December 31, [at] 12pm, considering various factors, including patient care.”

The association also claimed that the Union ministry regretted the violence against protesting doctors by the police on December 27.

Resident doctors across the Capital have been protesting over the issue, initially boycotting work in the out-patient department, and gradually withdrawing all services, including routine and emergency.

The agitation was suspended on December 9 after the protesting doctors were given assurances that the counselling schedule will be released in a week’s time, but when that didn’t happen, they resumed their strike from December 17, according to the FORDA.

Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge, Lok Nayak Hospital and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital are among the hospitals that have been impacted by the strike.