NEET counselling: Delhi's residents doctors suspend protest for a week

The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) on Thursday has announced that it will hold its ongoing agitation for expediting NEET-PG 2021 Counselling for a week. It has also been announced that the resident doctors will be resuming all services with an immediate effect.

Speaking to the media here, President of FORDA Dr Manish said, "We had a meeting with the Health Minister yesterday wherein he gave us positive assurances. So, we have decided to suspend the protest for a week."

He further stated that the protest will restart again on December 17, if no concrete steps are taken over the reported delay in NEET-PG 2021 counseling.

The decision was taken after FORDA called an urgent meeting, earlier in the day, with various RDA representatives to discuss the course of action of the ongoing resident doctor's protest.

"A plea was issued by MoHFW for fast-tracking the court hearing and we were assured by the Union Health Minister that the Office of Prime Minister is also looking after the issue and the process will be completed within a week. Considering the above and looking at the security situation of the nation owing to the untimely demise of Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, and other army personnel in a tragic accident yesterday, FORDA has decided to hold the agitation for a period of 1 week after discussing with State RDA representatives in a virtual meeting held today," a statement issued by FORDA said.

"We express our sincere gratitude to all Resident Doctors of the nation who came forward and joined the agitation called by FORDA. We are resuming all services with immediate effect. In case the issue is not addressed by December 16, we will be forced to call for the complete shutdown of all services except COVID areas in healthcare institutions," it added.

Resident doctors of three central hospitals - RML, Safdarjung, and Lady Hardinge - on November 27 suspended OPD services in protest against the repeated delay in conducting NEET-PG 2021 counselling.

Admission to various courses in NEET PG 2021 has been delayed indefinitely following the COVID-19 pandemic.