Junior doctors of GMCH stay away from work; Demand early start to NEET postgraduate counselling

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Healthcare services were hit in Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) as junior doctors decided to withdraw from all academic works and routine services, including OPD services, Elective OT services and ward services, from Monday. The striking doctors are demanding early start to NEET postgraduate counselling for 2021.

President and general secretary of the Junior Doctors' Association (JDA), GMCH, Dr Bishal Saha and Dr Ashinta Pegu respectively, said "The resident doctors across the nation have been working tirelessly doing both their normal as well as COVID duties with two-third of the total manpower for the last six months after the 2018 batch of residents passed out in May 2021. The NEET PG Examination which was supposed to happen in January 2021, actually took place in September, and the new batch of resident doctors was supposed to join at least by October. But so far even the counselling process has not been initiated owing to court proceedings."

They further said, "Our repeated appeals to the Ministry of Health And Family Welfare over the last few days to actively intervene to accelerate the entire process have fallen into deaf ears, and there has been no progress in the same except verbal assurances from the authority concerned. Our withdrawal from OPD services on November 27, 2021, as a symbol of protest failed to evoke response; and with the possibility of an upcoming COVID-19 pandemic, the situation will be disastrous for the healthcare sector if the issue is not addressed in due time."

"Therefore, to mark our protest, in unison with the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), and as decided by the Resident Doctors' Associations across the country, the resident doctors of GMCH have decided to withdraw from all our academic works and routine services including OPD services, Elective OT services and ward services with effect from December 6, 2021," they added.

JDA, GMCH urged the Union Government and the Supreme Court of India to take concrete measures to fast track the court proceedings and expedite the entire process of NEET PG 2021 counselling and admission on an urgent basis.

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