Young doctors resume their work, paralyzing the healthcare system in West Bengal
Junior doctors in West Bengal resumed an indefinite ‘total work stoppage’ on Tuesday, escalating protests over the state government’s ‘inability’ to meet key demands including improved hospital safety, a day after the Supreme Court ruled on the need for had emphasized medics to perform essential tasks.
The junior doctors in West Bengal had partially resumed their duties on September 21 after a 42-day protest against the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College on August 9.
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After a late-night meeting of the governing body, they resumed their strike on Tuesday, just before Durga Puja, paralyzing medical services across the state.
Despite the state’s recognition of two demands – the formation of a state-level Redressal Committee and the reconstitution of Patient Welfare Committees in hospitals by Tuesday evening – trainee doctors deemed these measures insufficient.
As junior doctors resume their agitation ahead of Durga Puja, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a veiled appeal to the medics, said people eagerly await the festival throughout the year.
Their demands center on improved safety measures for hospital workers, an issue that has sparked widespread protests.
“Today is the 52nd day of the protest and we are still being attacked. There is no positive approach from the state government towards fulfilling our demands for safety and security,” said Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating medics.
“We have no choice but to opt for a complete ‘stop work’, starting today,” he added.
Mahato stressed that unless the state government takes concrete action in addressing their demands, the strike would continue.
Healthcare services in government hospitals and medical colleges have been badly hit by the strike, with senior doctors being redeployed to inpatient units (IPDs), outpatient departments (OPDs) and emergency services, a health department official said.
Meanwhile, the doctors expressed disappointment over the pace of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) probe into the RG Kar case.
“The CBI investigation has been frustratingly slow. We have seen many cases where delays led to the release of the perpetrators. We are disappointed,” said a statement from the trainee doctors.
The protesters’ main demand remains justice for the late doctor, whose murder shocked the medical community and sparked nationwide protests.
They also criticized the lack of action on other promises made by Banerjee in previous meetings.
Besides demanding speedy justice for the late doctor, the agitating medics outlined a broader list of grievances. Their nine demands include the resignation of the Secretary of State for Health, greater police protection in hospitals and the recruitment of permanent female police personnel.
The doctors also called for the immediate filling of all vacancies for doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, as well as the implementation of a digital system for monitoring the vacancy of beds in hospitals.
“Corruption within the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) and the West Bengal Health Recruitment Board (WBHRB) must be immediately investigated,” the statement said.
Moreover, the junior doctors demanded elections to student councils in all medical colleges and recognition of Resident Doctors’ Associations (RDAs).
They pushed for elected students and doctors in training to be represented on committees governing hospitals and colleges.
The Supreme Court on Monday expressed dissatisfaction over the state’s slow progress in installing CCTVs and building essential infrastructure like toilets and rest rooms in government medical colleges.
The court directed the state to complete the work by October 15.
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, noted that less than 50 percent of the work had been completed by the state government.
The court was hearing a suo motu case regarding the rape and murder of RG Kar doctor.
The Chief Minister, while inaugurating Durga Puja in Kolkata, sought to shift the focus to the upcoming festivities and described Durga Puja as a much-awaited time for the people of Bengal.
“People of the state wait for Durga Puja festivities throughout the year… Durga Puja in Bengal marks the beginning of the festive season, which continues till December with Diwali, Kali Puja, Chhath Puja and Christmas holidays,” Banerjee said.
Senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh also appealed to the junior doctors to lift the work strike.
“The state government had earlier accepted almost all your demands. Now this new set of demands and the cessation of work are unnecessary. We would like to request all of you to return to work,” he said.
The state government had last month transferred Calcutta police chief Vineet Goyal and appointed Manoj Kumar Verma in his place, while also sacking the directors of medical education and health services, giving in to the demands of the agitating medics.
West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said it was quite expected that doctors would return to handling cases as the state government has “not kept its promises”.
Thousands of protesters marched along a five-kilometer stretch in Calcutta on Tuesday, shouting slogans and carrying banners demanding justice for the victim.
The Durga Puja festivities begin on October 9 and end with Vijay Dashami on October 12, but this year the mood in the city remains somber as the protests show no signs of abating.
First publication: Oct 01, 2024 | 10:02 pm IST