SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, Dec 29: Junior Doctors Association (JDA) of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) Ranchi has called for an OPD service boycott today in support of Delhi junior doctors’ agitation.
The JDA said that since junior doctors of Delhi have been on a strike for the common cause of doctors across the country, they (JDA RIMS) are left with no option but to call a one-day OPD work boycott in their solidarity.
There are over 1,000 junior doctors in RIMS. Since they are (junior doctors) considered the backbone of RIMS health services, OPD services in almost all faculties have been badly affected.
Both the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Jharkhand state as well the Ranchi unit has extended support to the JDA OPD boycott call in RIMS today.
IMA state President Dr AK Singh and Secretary Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh in a joint statement have said that the OPD boycott call of JDA RIMS is genuine and the state chapter of IMA supports their agitation.
They have also urged the central government to accept the demand of agitating Delhi junior doctors in the interest of health services as the entire country would be affected by this stir. The Jharkhand IMA also condemned the assault by Delhi police on the junior doctors.
IMA Ranchi chapter joint secretary and former JDA president Dr Ajit Kumar said that the delay in counselling of post graduates has run the patience of junior doctors. So the Ranchi IMA supports JDA RIMS’s stir.
“Union health minister has said that the government would put the demands of junior doctors in the Supreme Court when it opens on January 6. But IMA’s stand is if the SC could open at 9 p.m. for terrorists’ trial, why the demand of doctors can’t be heard before January 6,” Dr. Ajit said.
The Junior doctors of Delhi have been on indefinite strike in protest against alleged delay in the NEET postgraduate (PG) counselling process. The process has been allegedly delayed due to an ongoing case in the Supreme Court regarding Economic Reservation.
