PANAJI
A peaceful demonstration of resident doctors at GMC was held on Wednesday evening at the GMC complex with black armbands and placards. This was followed by a night vigil with candles from the MS office to the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) hostel.
Speaking to media after the protest march, GARD president Dr Pratik Sawant stated that it was their constitutional right to protest and show solidarity with the pan India resident doctors working at various medical institutions, however, the late-night order of implementing the ESMA Act by the Goa government, has hampered this right for the next six months.
“There has been a shortage of resident doctors, and the new batch of MBBS graduates that have passed out has not yet joined their post-graduation study course because the NEET PG 2021 counselling has not been initiated for the last six months, since May 2021. The Supreme Court has reserved the decision till January 2022, and until the court order is out, there will be no new joining. We are overburdened and have reached a point that we will break down anytime,” said the GARD president.
After calling off the proposed strike late Tuesday night, the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) at Goa Medical College and Hospital visited Health Secretary's office and met Sanjay Gihar (who is holding additional duties in absence of Secretary Health Ravi Dhawan) on Wednesday with an appeal to revoke the ESMA Act, and also to expedite the process of NEET PG 2021 counselling on most urgent basis and without any further delay. The GARD core committee representatives including its president Dr Pratik Sawant, vice president Dr Abhinav Pai, general secretary Dr Ashutosh Swarnakar and executive member Dr Sudhir Narsapur met Gihar who assured to look into the issue.
“We have been assured by Gihar that he would forward our letter higher up to revoke ESMA,” stated GARD president, adding, “In GARD’s letter to the medical superintendent at GMC, we have expressed our concerns.”
The letter states that GARD is disheartened by the lack of support from the government and authorities concerned, in furthering a noble cause for improving the strength of healthcare of the nation.
“We had called only for withdrawal of OPD services, after prior intimation. Emergency services, of any kind by the residents, be it ward, casualty or any other emergency would not have been hampered,” claimed GARD president who pointed out, “Following the constitutional order implemented on us in the late hours tonight, we were forced to revise our decision, despite it being a curb on our freedom of expression, that too for a larger cause.”
The resident doctors, however, will continue to protest with black bands at work.
“This will be followed by a demonstration of solidarity and a night vigil after working hours after having duly performed our regular duties, following Covid-appropriate norms. This is to mark our discontent regarding suppression of basic human rights,” says Dr Sawant, expressing hope that the administration addresses the pressing issues with equal faith and fairness, and acts as promptly as they have, in imposing the above constitutional order in the late hours.
“The ESMA act is invoked for six months. It will basically curb our constitutional right to protest in any form, even on pressing issues, in future,” points out GARD president, adding, “We have asked the public to come in support for their healthcare workers who have served them during critical times. It is unfortunate that healthcare will continue to slog at the breakpoint with an impending Covid wave at our doorstep.”
