Doctors will be forced to go for mass resignation if demands not met: FORDA

New Delhi: Intensifying its stir over the delay in NEET PG 2021 counselling, a federation of resident doctors association on Saturday said its members will be forced to go for "mass resignation" from services if their demands are not met at the earliest. Scores of resident doctors in Delhi on Saturday also lit 'diyas' to register their protest here, even as patient care remained affected at various facilities in the city.

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) has been spearheading the protest for the last several days. In a statement issued on Saturday, it said that a virtual meeting was convened by FORDA in the evening with representatives of resident doctors associations from various states to discuss the future course of agitation.

"Since no concrete measure has been taken by authorities yet in the concerned matter, it was unanimously decided to continue the agitation. During the meeting it was also discussed that protesting resident doctors across the nation will be forced to go forward with mass resignation from services, if the demand is not met at the earliest," it said.

On Wednesday, a large number of doctors protested outside the Nirman Bhawan, which houses the office of the Union health ministry, for the third consecutive day, and then late evening they assembled on the premises of the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) and lit up 'diyas' and marched around.

MAMC comes under the Delhi government and three facilities, including the LNJP Hospital, are attached to it. On Tuesday, a group of doctors had thrown flowers on security barricades, and clanged utensils and clapped in front of the Nirman Bhawan here, saying they were symbolically "returning" the adulation showered on them for being Covid warriors.

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As their stir continued on Saturday, patient care remained affected at three Centre-run facilities -- Safdarjung, RML and Lady Hardinge hospitals and some of the Delhi government-run hospitals.