Last few days have seen the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), India, raising a pitch for their demands that range from formation of the Indian Medical Service in line with the Union Public Service Commission, enactment of the Central Protection Act, giving allowance and bond-free medical education, among other demands. The Health Pioneer reports

On National Doctor’s Day on July 1, last year Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the contribution of doctors in saving lives from the Coronavirus pandemic when it was at its peak and swept the country. He asserted, “India saved the lives of lakhs of its people and a big credit for that goes to doctors, healthcare and frontline workers.”

However, action speaks more than words, say doctors in the government hospitals as they feel that not much has been done at the ground level as many of their long pending demands are yet to see the light of the day.

Now under the umbrella of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), India, recently they enlisted ten demands including the formation of the Indian Medical Service in line with the Union Public Service Commission, enactment of Central Protection Act, giving allowance and bond-free medical education, among other demands.

FORDA General Secretary Dr Sarvesh Kumar Pandey said that merely showering praises is not enough while leaving the doctors to fend on their own to grapple with many challenges while FORDA president Dr Aviral Mathur said that their demands have been pending for years yet no action has been taken to address them. “We urge the government to address the issues at the earliest.  We find many healthcare workers are often assaulted. We demand that the Central Protection Act should be made,” said Mathur.

“Nursing students and nurses are provided risk hazards allowances but doctors are not. We should be given risk hazards allowances,” he added. The other demands included creation of permanent posts for doctors, provision of at least six months duration in ad-hoc posts, amendment of residency scheme, provision of uniform stipend for resident doctors, timely conduction of NEET PG exam and constitution of apex body which can conduct exams.

The other demands included creation of permanent posts for doctors, provision of at least six months duration in ad-hoc posts, amendment of residency scheme, provision of uniform stipend for resident doctors and timely conduction of NEET PG exam, among others.

Dr Pandey said that the doctors’ body will invite other medical associations to build more momentum for their demands. “We will invite organisations to disscus these issues. We will invite IMA, FAIMA, DMA and Delhi-AIIMS RDA, All India Medical Association and other major associations. Around the first week of February, we expect that we meet these organisations and raise these issues collectively to the government,” he said.

One may recall that the Prime Minister during his address to the nation on the Doctor’s Day last year had also expressed gratitude to all medicos on behalf of 130 crore Indians. “The way our doctors have served the country is an inspiration in itself…Today, when the country is fighting such a big war against Corona, doctors have saved millions of lives by working hard day and night,” he had said.