Doctors’ protests to continue till demands are met, says FORDA

Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) has said that resident doctors will continue to protest till their demands are met. The doctors' association put out a statement on Tuesday stating that the outcome of their meeting with the Union Health Ministry was not satisfactory and the protests will continue till their demands are met.

Protesting doctors have two key demands – a written apology for alleged manhandling of protestors by the Delhi Police and a written assurance over the expedition of the NEET-PG 2021 counselling and admission process and the case related to the same will be fast-tracked in the Supreme Court.

“Today was the 12th day of the agitation called by FORDA to expedite NEET-PG counseling 2021. A meeting was called upon by Honorable Union Health Minister with FORDA representatives in the afternoon at the Nirman Bhawan, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) whereby all the concerning points were put forward,” FORDA said in its statement.

It further mentioned that there was no apology from the government over the violence by Delhi Police while adding that there has been an FIR has been filed against resident doctors. “After discussion with RDA representatives, it has been decided to continue the agitation till our demands are met,” the statement further added.

While FORDA said they will continue the agitations till their demands are met, Mandaviya said that the government is not able to take up NEET-PG counseling as the matter is sub-judice before the Supreme Court. He urged the doctors to stop protesting in public interest and said that the top court will hear the matter on January 6.

“I held a meeting with all resident doctors. We’re not able to do the counseling because the matter is sub-judice before Supreme Court. The hearing will take place on January 6. I hope that NEET-PG counseling will start soon,” the Health Minister said.

Protests reached a peak on Monday when the doctors marched towards the residence of the Union Health Ministry. Some of these doctors were detained by the Delhi Police. Medical associations like Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) and AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association (AIIMS RDA) have condemned police action against doctors.

“AIIMS RDA strongly condemns this brutality of the police and the insensitivity of the government towards the medical fraternity and demands immediate release of all the detained doctors, with an apology from the government and the police. This incident is sensitive enough to spark the shutdown of all medical activities by the resident doctors; and in the absence of the government’s immediate response the RDA will not fail to do so. It’s high time for the government to release a report of what has been done till date, and what are the government’s plans moving forward, for expediting NEET-PG counseling,” AIIMS RDA said in a press release.

Also read: Delhi Police detains resident doctors; medical association calls for strike on Dec 29