Kolkata: Agitating junior doctors, along with their senior counterparts, staged two rallies Tuesday evening to show solidarity for their colleagues who are on a ‘fast-unto-death’ demanding justice for a murdered woman medic from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Senior doctors from various medical colleges and hospitals, both state-run and private, joined the rallies to support their junior colleagues. One rally commenced at Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, while the other started from SSKM Hospital.
“We cannot stay home or take holidays just because Durga Puja is happening. We understand their demands are logical, and we must support these young people fighting for a noble cause,” Dr. Punyabrata Gun said.
Earlier in the day, senior members of the Joint Platform of Doctors in West Bengal gathered at Esplanade in central Kolkata to express solidarity with the seven junior doctors who were on an indefinite fast.
Both rallies were set to conclude at Esplanade, where the fasting junior doctors from various medical colleges continued their protest, pressing for their demands.
On Friday, junior doctors ended their ‘total cease work,’ which had severely impacted healthcare services at state-run medical colleges and hospitals.
The protesting doctors reiterated that securing justice for the deceased medic is their top priority. They also called for the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam, demanding accountability for alleged administrative incompetence and action against corruption within the department.
Other demands included establishing a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, implementing a bed vacancy monitoring system, and forming task forces to ensure provisions for CCTVs, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.
Additionally, they sought increased police protection in hospitals, recruitment of permanent female police personnel, and prompt filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.
The junior doctors began their protest following the rape-murder of a fellow medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital August 9. They concluded their stir after 42 days on September 21, following assurances from the state government to address their demands.
The medics, however, renewed their ‘cease work’ October 1 after an attack on them by a patient’s family at the state-run College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital the previous week and launched the ‘fast-unto-death’ agitation on Saturday after the state government failed to fulfill their demands.
PTI