SHILLONG: The resident doctors at NEIGRIHMS have said a peaceful protest or strike against arbitrary and prejudicial acts of heads of institutions is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution.
The remark comes a day after the NEIGRIHMS authority declared the resident doctors’ call for strike illegal.
The reason for the strike is because Director Dr DM Thappa has gone back on the commitment made at the meeting held in November 2015 where it was categorically stated by the Board of Studies that post-graduate MD/MS and post doctoral DM/MCh students should be paid salary/stipend for the permitted additional period to clear failed papers since they continue to deliver institutional services as per NEIGRIHMS norms (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare).
The resident doctors felt that they were singled out by the present director as the residential quarters earlier allotted to them (Type C quarters) was revoked unceremoniously. When resident doctors of Cardiology approached the director on June 25 and demanded for fair practices in the examination, the director along with Dean and Dy. Director (Admn.) apologised for the high-handedness and bungling in the thesis evaluation and stated that all possible steps would be taken to safeguard their careers.
Meanwhile the three-year residency programme was over on August 8 and the resident doctors had written to the director to extend their tenures for a few more months until the examinations are over but they received no response.
When they went to see the director at his office they were told that he was either out of station or not available to meet them.
The one time he met them, the director told the students to show the rule where it was written that senior residency can be extended.
Now that August is almost ending the Resident doctors of Cardiology feel they have been treated unjustly and left orphaned with no support from the Director of the Institute.
