'Had To Be on Strike as Delay in Hiring New Doctors is Posing Immense Stress'

'Delays in NEET-PG Counselling have affected the appointment of the new batch of doctors.'

Resident doctors from across the country are on strike because of delays in NEET-PG counselling.

(Photo Credit: The Quint)

Video Producer: Maaz Hasan
Video Editor: Mohd. Irshad Alam

From Saurday, 27 November, we resident doctors from across the country are going for a nationwide strike because of the delays in NEET-PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate) counselling.

From today (Saturday) we are withdrawing our services from the OPD (Out patients) services from hospitals across the country.

NEET-PG 2021 admission, through which a new batch of resident doctors are appointed, should have been ideally done between April-May. But even in November, the counselling is yet to take place.

“For the last year, doctors have not been appointed. The exam that should have been conducted in January (2021), got postponed to April. And in April, just two days before the schedule, it got cancelled. April’s exam got postponed to September. And somehow when the exam was finally conducted in September, counselling got delayed. And now, (Supreme Court) will hear the case on the issue of EWS.”

Bhawna Rajora, Resident Doctor, RML Hospital

The central government decided to give 10 percent reservation to the students from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of the society, setting the income limit to Rs 8 Lakh per annum for EWS candidates. However, the Supreme Court has expressed doubt over the limit set by the Centre.

To which, the Centre, through it’s Solicitor General, Tushar Mehra, informed the top court that the government will form a committee and a fresh decision would be taken in another four weeks time.

In between all of this, the admission process of a new batch of doctors has been halted and we are working in the hospitals across the country with just two-thirds of the total capacity of doctors.

"In my medical college, the number of doctors that should be working is 300. Since the 2021 batch hasn’t come, only 200 doctors are working here and they are filling for the required 300 doctors. From January, when our senior batch will go for the examination then we will be left with only 100 resident doctors. "

Syed Faizan Ahmad, Resident Doctor, Silchar Medical College

We are under tremendous work stress and in between all this process, it is just two of us, doctors and patients who are suffering because we are unable to provide them best medical facilities because of our hampered efficiency.

“Today we are boycotting the OPD services, but if the government doesn't expedite the process of appointing doctors our protest will intensify and we will boycott emergency and in-patient services as well.”

Anupan Singh Yadav, Resident Doctor, Sarojini Naidu Medical College

You only think, how will a third of the total batch take care of the healthcare system of the country. We request the Supreme Court and government to get done with the counselling as soon as possible.

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