“As the withdrawal of OPD services did not bring any concrete response from the authorities, we are compelled to boycott all routine services at RML Hospital (OPDS). Special Clinics, IPDs, Elective OTS) from December 3, till the time our genuine grievances are not fulfilled.” 

NEW DELHI — Resident doctors of Delhi’s top five hospitals — RML Hospital, Lady Harding Hospital, Safdurjung Hospital, LNJP Hospital and GTB hospital — on Friday boycotted routine services to protest delay in the NEET PG 2021 Exam, affecting ill people badly.

The protest badly affected the OPD services for the fifth consecutive day due to resident doctors’ strike since November 27. “As the withdrawal of OPD services did not bring any concrete response from the authorities, due to insensitive response of governing bodies responsible for the delay in NEET PG 2021 counselling, we are compelled to boycott all routine services at RML HOSPITAL (OPDS). Special Clinics, IPDs, Elective OTS) from December 3, onwards till the time our genuine grievances are not fulfilled,” the letter by the Resident Doctor Association of RML hospital read.

Talking to IANS, Dr Sarvesh Pandey, RDA RML Hospital said, “Our session has already been delayed for one year and the resident doctors are overburdened since the outbreak of Covid-19. The hearing for the EWS quota is being delayed, we request apex court to constitute a fast track court to hear our issues and let it finalise at the earliest”.

The OPD service at the RML hospital has largely been affected due to the protest as no Resident doctors are consulting the patients. The OPD service is being run by the professors. All the medical services at the hospital have been affected except the emergency services.

Dr Manish Jhangra, General Secretary, Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), said: “Omicron variant has been detected in India and this is going to create another pressure for resident doctors across India as we already suffer from shortage of medicos”.

He said that if no concrete steps are taken for immediate completion of NEET PG Counseling 2021, we will be forced to take an extreme and harsh decision for our protest, he added.