Amid the ongoing tussle between the West Bengal government and RG Kar Hospital doctors, 77 senior doctors at the state’s Kalyani JNM Hospital have threatened a mass resignation. They expressed solidarity with junior medics on a fast-unto-death to press for their demands while seeking justice for the RG Kar rape victim.
All 77 doctors of the medical facility wrote an email and informed the Registrar of West Bengal Health University about their decision to stop work, starting October 14. The doctors cited “mental devastation” and “inability to work in the current state of mind” among the reasons behind their decision.
In their email, the doctors stated they stand in solidarity with the junior medics on a fast-unto-death, whose health is deteriorating. They also expressed concern over the “apparent lack of visible effort from the state government to resolve the issue”.
Notably, the agitating junior medics have been demanding justice for the victim who was raped and murdered in RG Kar, immediate removal of Health Secretary N S Nigam, workplace security and other measures.
Doctors give October 14 deadline
The Kalyani JNM Hospital doctors have provided time to authorities till October 14 to take necessary steps towards resolving the problem, failing which they had threatened to formally submit their mass resignation. This comes as several doctors from state-run hospitals have already submitted collectively signed "resignation" letters to the West Bengal government in the last few days. On Saturday, the state government said the doctors' mass resignation was invalid and it must be submitted individually, according to service rules.
Fast unto death continues
The hunger strike by junior doctors to press for their demands following the Kolkata rape and murder incident entered the ninth day on Sunday. Three of the junior doctors observing ‘fast unto death’ in Kolkata and Siliguri city in the northern part of the state have so far been hospitalised after their condition deteriorated.
Meanwhile, a group of former R G Kar Medical College and Hospital students reached the medical establishment for a symbolic fasting of 12 hours to express solidarity with the students on hunger strike.
(With PTI Inputs)
