Kolkata: The “fast unto death” of junior doctors demanding justice for the deceased and safety at workplace in the rape and murder case at RG Kar Hospital in West Bengal continued for the fifth day on Wednesday.
Doctors Srigdha Hazra, Tanaya Panja and Anustup Mukhopadhyay of Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, Arnab Mukhopadhyay of SSKM, Pulastha Acharya of NRS Medical College and Hospital and Sayantani Ghosh Hazra of KPC Medical College are on fast unto death since Saturday evening and on Sunday RG Kar Medical Aniket Mahato of College and Hospital also joined him.
Two other junior doctors of Cooch Behar Medical College are also on hunger strike for the third consecutive day in support of their colleagues here. Aniket, one of the agitating junior doctors, told PTI, “We will continue this hunger strike until the promises made to us are fulfilled.”
Some leaders of the ruling party are making fun of our movement but we want to tell them that there is nothing fake in it. If they want, they can come here and see for themselves… We will not stop until our demands are met.”
Another agitating doctor said that apart from organizing blood donation camps, the protesting junior doctors will also distribute pamphlets in various Durga Puja pandals of the city on Wednesday demanding justice for their deceased colleague.
Dr Punyabrata Guna, one of the joint convenors of the ‘West Bengal Joint Platform of Doctors’, said that they will continue to support the junior doctors and are even ready to resign to put pressure on the government until their demands are met.
On Tuesday, senior doctors, who came in support of their colleagues, took out two rallies in the city and plan to take out another march on Wednesday from Karunamayi Turn in the city to the CBI office at CGO Complex, demanding a speedy investigation into the crime.
Junior doctors went on a complete strike on Friday, paralyzing health care services in state government-run medical colleges and hospitals. The protesting doctors stressed that ensuring justice for the deceased woman doctor is their top priority.
They have also demanded the immediate removal of Health Secretary N S Nigam, along with holding him accountable for alleged administrative incompetence and action against corruption in the department. Their other demands include bringing in a centralized referral system in all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, setting up a digital bed vacancy monitoring system in hospitals and constituting a task force to ensure necessary provisions for CCTV, on-call rooms and toilets at workplaces. also includes.
They are also demanding increased police security in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel and immediate filling of vacant posts for doctors, nurses and other health care workers. Junior doctors are on strike after the incident of rape and murder of a fellow doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Junior doctors partially returned to their duties in government hospitals on September 21 after 42 days of protests. The government had promised to fulfill most of their demands.