New Delhi: The junior doctors protesting over the delay in college allotments of postgraduate medical students have decided to call off their 14-day agitation. The decision was taken following a meeting with Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and the Delhi Police, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association or FORDA has said.
The Health Ministry has agreed to submit the Committee Report to the Supreme Court before the next hearing on January 6, and also assured that no punitive or disciplinary action will be taken by the authorities against the resident doctors who took part in the agitation, the doctors' body said.
"The MoHFW will submit the Committee Report to the Supreme Court of India before 6th January, 2022 and will publish the NEET-PG 2021 Counselling schedule following the Court hearing on 6th January, 2022. The MoHFW regrets the brutal incident of violence by Delhi Police against Resident Doctors who were protesting peacefully on 27th December, 2021. No punitive or disciplinary action will be taken by the authorities against any Resident Doctor who took part in the agitation that commenced on 27th November, 2021," it said in a release.
It also said that during its meeting with Delhi Police officials, the doctors' body was assured that the FIR that was lodged against Resident Doctors will be taken care of as per the legal procedures.
"A virtual meeting of FORDA with all RDA Representatives was convened late in the evening whereby all the proceedings were conveyed and all concerning points were discussed in details. It was
unanimously decided to call off the agitation on 31st December, 2021, 12:00 p.m., considering various factors including patientcare," it said.
"Healthcare services might have been affected during this month-long agitation of Resident Doctors. However, for each one of us, it is the nation that always comes first and as an association of Resident Doctors who are working at the ground level, we will always strive for improving the healthcare sector of the nation," it said it said thanking "every Resident Doctor, Media personnel,
Political parties and Citizen of the nation who came forward" to extend their support.
The admissions process and the allocation of colleges for the 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.
The next hearing is on January 6, when the government is expected to present its views on the criteria for judging Economically Weaker Sections for NEET.
The doctors have accused the government of dragging its feet over the EWS issue, saying it is having serious ramification for the country's hospitals.