Doctors to continue protests as talks with Health Minister fail

FORDA president Dr. Manish addresses the media after meeting with the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, at Safdarjung Hospital, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Pic/ ANI

Junior doctors protesting the delay in college allotments of postgraduate medical students in Delhi said on Tuesday that they will continue their protests as talks with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya remained inconclusive.

As per an NDTV report, the doctors accuse the government of delay in resolving the situation. The government contends that the since the issue is pending in court, they cannot resolve it.

The admissions process and the allocation of colleges for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, or NEET, undergraduate and postgraduate students have been caught in the legal deadlock as the Supreme Court is looking into the matter of quota for Economically Weaker Sections.

Pointing to the Covid-19 situation and the looming challenge of Omicron, which has created huge pressure on hospitals and medical professionals, junior doctors have threatened a complete shutdown of medical services if fresh hands are not brought in. Delay in college allotments is unacceptable now, they say.

The protesters have claimed that since Monday, they faced a brutal police crackdown, and thousands were detained. On Tuesday,they were stopped from marching to the Supreme Court where the matter is pending.

At a meeting with the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association or FORDA this evening, Health Minister Mansukh Mandavia asked them to call off their strike. The NDTV report stated the ministry has assured that the report of a three-member committee, formed to review the EWS quota, will be placed before court during the January 6 hearing.