Patients suffer as residents doctors boycott work at SMS Hospital

Jaipur: Thousands of patients suffered at SMS Hospital in Jaipur as the resident doctors boycotted work in the OPD against the delay in NEET PG counselling. Hundreds of patients who arrived at the hospital for treatment had to return without getting medical help. Those who were already admitted complained of delay in treatment. Senior doctors had to run from pillar to post to manage the situation.

The patients were told to come after two or three days in many departments dealing with general medicine, eye and skin diseases. The situation was the same in the ENT section where patients who came for treatment of ear and throat infections and other diseases were told to come after a few days. The doctors and nursing staff returned such patients without giving any specific date. Up to 10,000 people visit OPD of SMS Hospital on a daily basis.

The boycott was observed by resident doctors associated with the Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors in all Jaipur hospitals affiliated with SMS Medical College. Doctors worked only in emergency services. At the same time, seeing the crowd of patients in the hospital, senior doctors took charge, it was not sufficient.

The resident doctors are demanding to get the NEET PG counseling completed before December 31, while no official statement has been given by the central government till now. The matter of NEET PG counseling is currently going on in the Supreme Court. The next date of hearing is January 6, 2022. The resident doctors said that the boycott will continue until their demands are met.