Yesterday, On 29th September, Junior doctors in West Bengal are set to make a decision regarding the resumption of their ‘cease work’ protest, following a Supreme Court hearing on the RG Kar Medical College case on Monday. The protest, initiated over administrative and institutional concerns, had disrupted medical services.
Kolkata: Junior doctors in West Bengal, On Saturday night, announced that they would determine whether to fully resume their ‘cease work’ action in medical colleges after reviewing the state government’s response regarding their workplace safety and security during the Supreme Court hearing of the RG Kar case on September 30.
This decision comes in the wake of an incident on Friday night, where three doctors and three nurses were assaulted following the death of a patient at the College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital near Kolkata.
One of the junior doctors said,
“The state government has completely failed to provide us with safety and security, which led to the attack at Sagore Dutta Hospital. We are allowing the state some time and want to hear their submission on our security during the Supreme Court hearing on Monday. After that, from 5 PM, we will begin a total ‘cease work’ across all hospitals in Bengal,”
The medics claim that the assaults at the state-run hospital highlight the government’s failure to fulfill its promises to ensure their security.
One of the junior doctors said,
“It seems our meetings with the chief minister and the chief secretary were not taken seriously. How can family members of patients threaten one of our female colleagues with a repeat of what happened at RG Kar hospital? We no longer feel safe in the hospitals and have lost all hope in the state government,”
These statements came after a general body meeting of the junior doctors following the assault on medical staff at Sagore Dutta Hospital. In response to Friday’s incident, junior doctors at Sagore Dutta Hospital immediately began a “total cease work.” On Sunday, junior doctors planned to hold rallies across the state to protest the attack.
Dr. Aniket Mahato, who was present at the meeting, said,
“Where are the assurances about our safety and security? We are preparing for a larger demonstration,”
Dr. Aniket Mahato further stated,
“Depending on the Bengal government’s submission during the Supreme Court hearing on Monday, junior doctors may consider whether to proceed with ‘total cease work’ or not,”
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Junior doctors partially resumed their duties on September 21 at various state-run hospitals after a 42-day strike. They had been on ‘cease work’ protesting the rape and murder of an on-duty female doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
On Thursday, junior doctors sent an email to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, reiterating their unmet demands. In the two-page letter, the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum referenced their meeting with him at the state secretariat on September 18, where their demands were “verbally agreed upon.”