Kolkata: Protesting junior doctors in West Bengal again struck work indefinitely on Tuesday to put pressure on the state government over various demands, including ensuring their safety in all medical establishments.
Junior doctors partially returned to their duties in government hospitals on September 21 after 42 days of protests. On August 9, the doctors had stopped work in protest against the incident of rape and murder of a female doctor on duty at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Aniket Mahato, who was among the protesting doctors, told PTI, “We do not see any positive attitude from the state government to meet our security demands. Today is the 52nd day (of the protests) and we are still being attacked and no efforts are being made to fulfill other promises made during the meetings with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the current situation, we have no option left but to completely stop work from today.
He said, “Until the state government takes clear action on these demands, there will be a complete strike.” Junior doctors have called for a march from ‘College Square’ to Dharmatala in central Kolkata on Wednesday and all People from all walks of life have been invited to participate.
“We are calling for a march and meeting on Mahalaya day on October 2,” the junior doctors said in the statement. The march will be taken out from ‘College Square’ to Dharamtala where a meeting will be held. We urge people from all sections of the society to join the rally.
Junior doctors said that their most important demand is justice for the deceased female doctor and immediate action should be taken instead of delaying it by adopting a lengthy judicial process. The doctors also demanded the immediate removal of the Health Secretary from his post and the Health Department taking responsibility for administrative inefficiency and corruption.
He also demanded setting up of a digital bed vacancy monitoring system besides a centralized referral system in all hospitals and medical colleges of the state and constituting a task force to ensure necessary arrangements for CCTV cameras, rest rooms for doctors and restrooms.
He stressed on increasing police security in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel and immediate filling of all vacant posts of doctors, nurses and health workers in hospitals. “Our protest must continue to ensure justice for Abhaya, a healthy, people-oriented, fear-free healthcare system and above all, to eliminate the politics of fear from the society,” the statement said.