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Junior doctors in West Bengal continued their indefinite hunger strike for the sixth consecutive day, drawing support from several senior doctors across the country and calling on the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to urge Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene before the situation escalates.
The ongoing confusion also led the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) to warn that it would announce a nationwide “total shutdown of medical services” if “any harm is done to the brave young doctors”.
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The agitating doctors are demanding a safe working environment and justice for their murdered colleagues at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, among other important issues.
On Friday, IMA president RV Ashokan met hunger-striking junior doctors to hear their concerns.
After meeting another junior doctor admitted to the hospital, RG Kar expressed his admiration for the protesters, saying: “I am impressed by the way these children are fighting not for themselves, but for people. They are true heroes and we are all very proud of them.
Ashokan urged the Prime Minister to address the situation “without wasting any more time”. He noted that although the junior doctors did not talk about ending the hunger strike, they remained focused on their demands and were confident of achieving justice for their deceased colleagues.
“They did not say much about calling off the fast but focused on their demands and the state government's indifferent attitude towards their agitation. They are confident enough to continue their protest and get justice for the deceased doctor,” he said.
In a show of solidarity, junior doctors encouraged the public to observe 'arandhan' (ban on cooking) on Ekadashi, thus ending the seven-day fast. “When our freedom fighters went on hunger strike, ordinary people noticed that Arandhan was supporting them,” the doctor explained.
In response to a recent mailing by protesting doctors, Principal Secretary Manoj Pant presented a report on the status of various healthcare initiatives in West Bengal, detailing the massive security improvements that have been implemented, including the installation of over 7,000 CCTV cameras, new duty stations and better equipment at facilities medical . college
“To enhance the safety of medical personnel, large-scale infrastructure expansion is underway in various medical colleges. We are installing a total of 7,051 CCTV cameras, 893 new duty rooms and 778 bathrooms. Additionally, adequate lighting systems, alarm systems and biometric access control are being installed in all medical facilities across the state, colleges and hospitals,” Pant wrote.
As the hunger strike continued, several senior doctors and community members joined younger doctors at the Esplanade, where a large crowd had gathered, chanting: “We want justice, we want justice.
Meanwhile, Aniket Mahato, a junior doctor who has been in hospital since Sunday after his condition worsened following a hunger strike, is described as “critical but stable” and is showing signs of improvement.
He began to respond to treatment, according to a member of the five-member team of doctors monitoring him in the intensive care unit. He was admitted to a government hospital on Thursday evening.
As for the six other young doctors who have been on hunger strike since Saturday evening, their health condition is also deteriorating, although they are determined to protest.
“This is the sixth consecutive day of fasting, so it is normal for their condition to deteriorate. However, they are determined to continue the protest,” said Debashish Halder, one of the protesting doctors.
There is an ICU ambulance nearby to enable quick response should the condition deteriorate further.
Meanwhile, consultants from the Fortis Hospital Group stated that they will suspend all non-emergency services from October 12 (Saturday), the organization said in a statement.
In a related development, the Calcutta High Court on October 9 granted interim bail to nine youths arrested for raising “We want justice” slogans outside a Durga Puja tent. The young people were previously placed in seven-day police custody.
Junior doctors are demanding justice for their murdered colleague and immediate removal of health secretary NS Nigam.
They also want a centralized hospital referral system, a system for monitoring available beds, increased police protection in hospitals and quick filling of vacant positions in the health service.
Doctors initially stopped work after a fellow doctor was raped and murdered on August 9, and ended the previous 42-day strike on September 21 after receiving assurances from the state government.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been modified by Business Standards staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
