Protesting resident doctors in West Bengal on Thursday (September 19, 2024) decided to call off their agitation outside Swasthya Bhawan and announced that they will join emergency services in the State run health facilities from Saturday (September 21, 2024).
Thousands of junior doctors have been on a strike for nearly 41 days since the body of a doctor was found inside the seminar hall of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
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The decision by the protesting doctors to join emergency services came hours after the West Bengal government issued a list of directives for ensuring safety, security and efficient functioning of all health care professionals. According to a representative of West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, the doctors will on Friday (September 20, 2024) bring out a procession from Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of State Health Department to Central Government Officers (CGO) complex where the office of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is located.
“We have been raising the demand of safety and security in the State run hospitals because we did not want another incident to occur like the one happened to Abhaya. Our demands are not for a union or organisation. What happened to her was an institutional murder,” Aniket Mahato, one of the representative of West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front said.
Referring to the ongoing flood situation, Dr. Mahato said that doctors have decided to resume emergency services from Saturday (September 21, 2024). The doctor said that Abhaya Clinic for flood-affected people will be set up.
“We want to remind the government that our fight will go on till the safety and security is completely ensured. The government should not think that the movement has stopped,” the representative of junior doctors said.
The development comes a day after doctors met State Chief Secretary Manoj Pant. In a letter addressed to Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare N.S. Nigam, the Chief Secretary highlighted 10 directives for safety and security of healthcare professionals, which include “deployment of adequate number of police/security personnel along with female police/security personnel in every healthcare facility in consultation with Home Department”.
The communication also pointed out that the State government has appointed former Director-General of Police Surajit Kar Purkayastha to conduct security audits of all medical colleges and hospitals. The State government has also suggested that a centralised helpline number as well as panic call button alarm system should also be made available in every healthcare facility. The State government has also directed that immediate steps should be taken for filling up of vacant posts of doctors, nurses, technicians etc.
“A robust grievance redressal system should be developed to promptly address the grievances and complaints of all the stakeholders including patient & patient parties. All the above directions must be implemented immediately and progress regarding the implementation of the above directions must be informed to the State Level Task Force,” the letter from the Chief Secretary said.
On September 16, 2024, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with the protesting doctors and transferred several officials including Kolkata Police Commissioner. The doctors had called the transfers as a success of their movement. On Thursday (September 19, 2024), the Chief Minister once again appealed to protesting doctors to return to work highlighting the flood situation and the possible outbreak of water borne disease. “We have done all that we could do. May good sense prevail,” she said.
In a related development, West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) cancelled the registration of former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Kumar Ghosh. The former principal is in CBI custody for his alleged involvement for tampering of evidence in the rape and murder of doctor at R.G. Kar MCH. Doctors also held protests outside the office of WBMC demanding an overhaul of the council.
During the day, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader Meenakshi Ghosh also deposed before the CBI, which is probing the rape and murder. The DYFI leader was seen blocking the police hearse, which was carrying the body of the deceased woman doctor from the R.G. Kar hospital on August 9, 2024. In another development, the Calcutta High Court granted bail to DYFI leader Kalatan Dasgupta arrested by Bidhannagar City Police on the basis of an audio recording which allegedly had conversation of attacking protesting doctors.
The Enforcement Directorate, which is looking at the financial irregularities at the R.G. Kar MCH, questioned Sudipto Roy, MLA of Trinamool Congress and former head of patients welfare committee of the hospital. Mr. Roy has been under the scanner of ED for the past several days.
Published - September 19, 2024 11:30 pm IST
