Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has called for a 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.”
In a statement, the FAIMA said that resident doctors were protesting peacefully and alleged that female doctors were brutally thrashed and lathi-charged by male police personnel during the demonstration.
After resident doctors across the country continued their protest against the delay in NEET-PG counselling and warned to withdraw "all healthcare services" from Wednesday, Union Health Ministry on Tuesday called an emergency meeting with a 12-member delegation of Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) representatives.
Mandaviya urged the protesting doctors to call off their strike in the public interest and said that the ministry held a meeting with the resident doctors regarding the issue and a hearing is set to take place on Jan 6 in the Supreme Court regarding the counselling.
"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," Mandaviya said.
Following the meeting with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Delhi RDAs are currently deciding the further course of action. FAIMA, FORDA and all RDAs are likely to hold a meeting at 8 pm today.
Meanwhile, FORDA President Dr Manish has demanded a written apology for the police brutality on doctors and said the strike would continue.
"The strike is still underway. We demand a written apology for police brutality during yesterday's protest of resident doctors at ITO. We will hold a meeting with all RDAs at 8 pm today to decide the future course of action," said Dr Manish.
Earlier, the resident doctors association of government-run hospitals has called for a complete shutdown of all healthcare institutions starting Monday after doctors were detained by the Delhi Police during the protest march against delay in NEET-PG counselling.
Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) in a statement claimed “police brutality” and called it a “black day in the history of the medical fraternity”. It also said that resident doctors were protesting “peacefully” and alleged that they were “brutally thrashed, dragged and detained by the cops."
On December 24, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the NEET-PG counselling crisis.
The NEET PG exam was scheduled to be held in January 2021 but postponed in view of the first and second wave of COVID-19 and held on September 12, 2021.
However, due to the legal impediments of the Supreme Court now the Counselling is withheld resulting in a shortage of 45,000 doctors on the frontline.
(with ANI inputs)
