RG Kar case: Doctors resume cease-work protest in Bengal

Kolkata: West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum (WBJDF), the umbrella body of junior doctors protesting against the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case, announced the resumption of complete cease-work throughout the state from Tuesday.

In a press statement issued in the morning, WBJDF has made it clear that unless their 10-point demands are fulfilled and they receive clear action from the state government on safety, patient services, and the politics of fear, they will have no choice but to continue with their full strike.

The development of junior doctors returning to full cease-work comes just a day after a crucial hearing at the Supreme Court on the matter.

In the statement, the WBJDF has also pointed out that they had withdrawn their earlier cease-work agitation on September 19 following assurances from the state government that the security measures in medical colleges and hospitals will be enhanced and the doctors and healthcare workers will be ensured a safe, fear-free workplace.

However, WBJDF added, “It has become increasingly clear to them that they have not yet secured an appropriate fear-free environment for our return to work, especially in light of the incidents like the attack on junior doctors at the School of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital at Kamarhati in North 24 Parganas district on last Friday night.”

“In this situation, we are compelled to return to a full cease-work starting today. Unless we receive clear action from the government on safety, patient services, and the politics of fear, we will have no choice but to continue our full strike,” the WBJDF statement read.

WBJDF has also announced that their full cease-work agitation will continue unless their 10-point demands are fulfilled.

Their demands included a protracted judicial process to ensure justice for the rape and murder victim, immediate removal of the state health secretary, and introduction of a centralised referral system and digital bed vacancy monitor.

The other demands include task forces based on each college, with elected representation of junior doctors, increased police protection in hospitals, filling up of vacant posts of doctors, nursing staff and health workers and setting up of inquiry committees must be established in every medical college to investigate those involved in threat syndicates and punish them. An inquiry committee must also be formed at the state level.

The last two demands include immediate elections for student councils in every medical college and immediate enquiry into rampant corruption and lawlessness inside the West Bengal Medical Council and West Bengal Health Recruitment Board.

IANS