All eyes are on the Supreme Court as the West Bengal government will submit a report on doctors' safety and security at workplaces. The state government's submission will decide whether junior doctors of West Bengal resume total 'cease work' in medical colleges. Junior doctors asserted that they would decide on resuming total 'cease work' after observing the state government's submission on their safety and security at workplaces during the hearing of the RG Kar case in the Supreme Court on Monday (September 30).
Fresh attack on medics reignites doctors protest
Their decision was taken after three doctors and three nurses were assaulted following the death of a patient at the College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital near Kolkata on Friday night. The medics alleged that the attacks at the state-run hospital have shown that the state government has "totally failed" to deliver promises to provide them security.
"The state government has totally failed in providing us safety and security and that is the reason the attack took place in Sagore Dutta Hospital. We are giving the state some time and want to hear their submission regarding our security during the Supreme Court hearing on Monday and then from 5 PM, we will start total 'cease work' at all hospitals across Bengal," one of the junior doctors said.
"It seems that our meetings with the chief minister and the chief secretary were not taken seriously. How can patients' family members threaten one of our female colleagues to repeat what has happened at the RG Kar hospital. We do not feel secure in the hospitals, we lost all hope in the state government," he said.
Doctors hold meeting
The decisions were announced following a junior doctors' general body meeting held after the assaults on medics at the Sagore Dutta Hospital.
Soon after Friday's incident, junior doctors at the Sagore Dutta Hospital started "total cease work" there. On Sunday, junior doctors would organise a rally across the state, protesting the Sagore Dutta Hospital incident.
"Where gone the assurances on our safety and security. We will go for a bigger demonstration," Aniket Mahato, a doctor who was also present there, said.
Junior doctors on September 21 rejoined their duties partially at various government-run hospitals in West Bengal after a hiatus of 42 days. They were on 'cease work' in protest against the rape-murder of an on-duty woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here.
Junior doctors had on Thursday written an email to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, reiterating their demands which were "yet to be fulfilled" by the state government.
In the two-page letter, representatives of the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Forum referred to their meeting with him at the state secretariat on September 18 when their demands "were verbally agreed".
Bengal medics take out rallies demanding security at hospitals
Junior medics from various government hospitals in West Bengal, along with members of the public, participated in torch rallies across the city on Sunday, demanding justice for the murdered doctor of R G Kar Hospital and calling for improved security at their workplaces.
The demonstrations took place a day before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case involving the alleged rape-murder of the postgraduate trainee. The rallies were organised from several key locations, including R G Kar hospital, Sagore Dutta hospital, SSKM hospital, Calcutta Medical College, and Jadavpur in south Kolkata.
Participants, including doctors and community members, emphasised the need for justice for the victim and heightened safety measures for medical staff in state-run facilities. On September 27, junior doctors had urged the public to hold protests across the state in solidarity ahead of Monday's Supreme Court hearing.
(With PTI inputs)
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