Doctors gave 24-hour ultimatum to Bengal government, warned to start hunger strike

Kolkata. Junior doctors have decided to withdraw their ‘complete work stoppage’ strike, but despite this the doctors have continued their protests. In fact, on Friday, doctors were taking out a rally in Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital. During this, the police lathicharged the doctors’ rally. Doctors are angry with the lathicharge by the police. Despite the rain, the doctors’ protest continues. Doctors are protesting in the Alpalande area. During this, some protesters were seen carrying umbrellas and some were seen hiding under polythene sheds.

The protesting doctors threatened to start a hunger strike
The doctors had earlier announced a complete work stoppage, but on Friday at around 8:30 pm, they decided to withdraw the strike of complete work stoppage. The doctors have given a 24-hour ultimatum to the Bengal government and have demanded that either the government accept their demands or they will start a hunger strike. The doctors have also installed a big clock at the protest site so that punctuality can be kept in mind. The protesting doctors say that ‘when you fight for a cause, you cannot expect things to be easy. However, we had expected that we would be treated well by the state government. The lathicharge and abusive language used by the police are both wrong. We demand an apology from them.’

Doctors’ warning – Time is running out for the state government
Apart from the doctors of RG Kar Medical College, doctors from many other hospitals are also involved in the protest. A protesting junior doctor said that ‘Now the time has come when the state government should respond and show that it is willing to resolve this issue. Time is running out fast.’ The protesters say that getting justice for the deceased female doctor is their top priority.

These are the demands of the protesting doctors from the state government
The demands made by the protesting doctors from the government include the immediate removal of the state health secretary NS Nigam from his post and accountability for the alleged administrative inefficiency and corruption in the health department. Also, the demand includes the establishment of a centralized referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, a system to monitor bed vacancy and the formation of a task force to ensure the necessary provision for CCTVs, on-call rooms and washrooms at workplaces. Apart from these, the doctors are demanding increased police security in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel and speedy filling of vacant posts of doctors, nurses and other health workers.

The doctors are also demanding immediate elections of student councils in every medical college in the state and recognition of Resident Doctors Association (RDA) by all colleges. Also, there is a demand to ensure elected representation of students and junior doctors in all committees managing medical colleges and hospitals. The junior doctors are also demanding an immediate investigation into the alleged corruption and anarchy within the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) and the West Bengal Health Recruitment Board (WBHRB).