NEW DELHI: The strike called by the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (Forda) entered its fifth day on Tuesday. The OPD and emergency services at various government hospitals remained shut.
The Forda also wrote a letter to opposition parties to highlight the issue of NEET-PG counselling delay in the ongoing winter session of the Parliament.
The doctors in the city have been protesting in front of the Nirman Bhawan over the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling.
"We would like to request you to take note of the grievance of Resident Doctors. We shall be grateful if you kindly highlight the issue and the necessity of expediting NEET-PG counselling 2021 in the Parliament in the ongoing Winter Session," the letter read.
From Thursday, state representatives of the Forda from Rajasthan, UP, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh will join the protest in front of Nirman Bhawan along with Delhi resident doctors, said a release issued by the association.
During the protest, doctors showered flowers on the effigy of the Union Health Ministry and took a dig at the Centre’s flower shower, done at hospitals across 23 locations by Indian Air Force in May 2020 during the pandemic.
"We have returned the flowers to the government that showered on us during the first wave," said a doctor attending the protest.
"Since the voices of thousands of resident doctors are not being heard, we have returned the taalis & thaalis that were clamoured and phool showered upon us during the previous Covid-19 waves," said the association’s release.
The doctors started the strike on November 27. It was called off on December 9, following assurances from authorities, but resumed on December 17 in the form of “Withdrawal from all Services”.