Doctors’ association becomes bone of contention at SMS

Jaipur: The announcement late on Sunday of a new Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors (JARD) at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College and Hospital was denounced by members of the existing JARD. Soon after the announcement, they had issued an order calling for JARD elections on May 15.
Dr Rajesh Kumawat, doing PG in urology at SMS, said, “I have been elcted as president of JARD in the recent elections as the earlier JARD excutive was dissolved in the general body meeting of resident doctors. The earlier JARD executive committee does not exist now.”
Dr Kumawat, one of the key persons, who led resident doctors strike against Right to Health (RTH) Bill after Dr Neeraj Damor led JARD declared strike being called off. Protesting against the decision of Dr Damor led JARD, a faction of resident doctors formed joint action committee to continue the strike. Now, Dr Kumawat said that the earlier JARD has been dissolved and new JARD has been formed.
However, Dr Damor, who was elected as JARD president along with other members in 2022, said on Monday, “It is an illegal move from a few resident doctors who claim that they have formed a separate JARD. In this way any small group can claim that they have formed JARD. There is a process to it,” he said.