Junior doctors withdraw services, protest over delay in PG admission and counselling

If the COVID pandemic was the hardest on someone, it is undoubtedly the doctors and medical professionals. Starting since day one in 2020, doctors have always been at the forefront, working days and nights. Starting from senior doctors, PGs, residents and even junior doctors including the MBBS students. In this light when the doctors are denied from their counselling or admission to further studies, it straight up throws their selfless hard work in the gutters.

In one such instance, when the resident doctors are denied from their post-graduate course admission, even after conducting the NEET PG exams, forced them to withdraw from OPD services, not once but twice within the span of the last 10 days. In a fresh notice submitted to the Principal cum Chief Superintendent of Silchar Medical College and Hospital, the Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) of the college had decided to “withdraw from all works and routine services including OPD services. Elective OT services and ward services with effect from Monday, the 6th of December 2021”.

Speaking with Barak Bulletin’s correspondent, Dr Rudra Prasad Roy Choudhury, the General Secretary of the JDA, SMCH said, “Our resident doctors across the nation have been working tirelessly not just in the COVID ward, but in the general wards, OPDs and OTs as well. But our manpower is reduced to 2/3rd since the last six months as the 2018 batch of residents passed out in May 2021. The real problem here is that even after conducting the NEET PG exam, postponing it from January 2021 to May 2021, counselling is yet to be conducted. The new resident Doctor’s were supposed to join latest by October 2021, but the real scenario is much different.”

This is not the first protest the JDA has held to register their concern. On 27th November 2021, they’ve similarly withdrawn from their services but failed to evoke a response from the authorities. “This protest is in unison with the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA), a national body and we the resident doctors of SMCH have decided to withdraw from all works and routine services including OPD services. Elective OT services and ward services with effect from this Monday, the 6th of December 2021, till further notice”, Dr Roy Choudhury further added.

Dr Ratnam Deb Kanungo, the Head of Public Relations for the JDA expressing his concern added that “If the counselling isn’t conducted and new PG doctors aren’t joining then something worse might happen. Our senior residents are already working for more than 24 hours in one shift and if another wave of COVID approaches, then the work shift might go up to 48 hours and none can work for that long with the anxiety of the third wave, that too donned in PPE, masks and all these layers of protection.”

The JDA has expressed serious concern with the possibility of an upcoming COVID-19 pandemic and the disastrous concern if the issue is not solved before it’s too late. They have also held the concerned authorities in case of any “unfortunate situation affecting the healthcare services”.

The emergency services are being rendered uncompromised by the residents.