Delhi Doctors' Protest Continues: Health Minister's appeal, cops' clarification - 5 things to know

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New Delhi: Amid the ongoing protest of resident doctors over delay in NEET-PG counselling, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday (December 28) met a delegation of the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) to hear their issues and urged them to call off the strike in the larger interest of the public.

Here’s a cheat sheet of what has happened so far:

Why are resident doctors protesting?

The resident doctors have gone on a strike over the postponement in NEET-PG 2021 counselling which has created a 'shortage of 45000 doctors on the frontline'. The NEET PG exam, earlier scheduled to be held in January 2021, was postponed in view of the first and second wave of COVID-19 and held on September 12, 2021. In a statement, AIIMS RDA had said, “This extreme delay has led to a shortage of manpower in medical colleges all across India.” The Supreme court, which is hearing petitions challenging the EWS quota in the All India Quota (AIQ) for the NEET PG 2021 counselling, has scheduled the next hearing on January 6, 2022, leading to further delay in the counselling process. 

What did the Health Minister say?

Following his meeting with a delegation of protesting resident doctors at Nirman Bhavan in Delhi, Union Health Minister Mandaviya urged them to call off their strike which has hit services in government hospitals like Safdarjung, Ram Manohar Lohia in Delhi. 

“I held a meeting with all resident doctors. We're not able to do the counselling because the matter is sub-judice before Supreme Court. The hearing will take place on Jan 6. I hope that NEET PG counselling will start soon,” Mansukh Mandaviya was quoted as saying by ANI. 

Delhi police deny using force against doctors

The Delhi police on Tuesday denied using "force or lathicharge" against the doctors during the protest march on Monday. "We did not use any force on the protestors. No canes were either used. In fact Delhi Police has highest regard for the doctors," Additional Commissioner (Central Range) Suman Goyal was quoted as saying by IANS. The doctors as well as police claimed that several persons suffered injury in the ensuing melee between the two. The doctors had alleged that they were brutally thrashed and dragged by the Delhi Police personnel.

The future course of action

After the meeting with Union Health Minister, Delhi RDAs are currently in a meeting to decide the further course of action, ANI reported. Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), FORDA and all RDAs likely to hold a meeting at 8 pm today. Earlier, FAIMA had called for complete withdrawal from all healthcare services across the country from 8 am on December 29 "in protest against brute force by Delhi Police against doctors."

The effect of protests

The outpatient department treatment (OPD) services were closed in all major government hospitals in Delhi leading to people facing difficulties. However, OPD services at Safdarjung Hospital, Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Lady Hardinge Hospital resumed today with senior doctors and consultants attending to the patients, as per ANI. Further, the resident doctors` association of AIIMS also withdrew all non-emergency work from Tuesday. 

(With agency inputs)