Junior docs stage 'fast-unto-death' over RG Kar horror, medics to bring out rally

KOLKATA: Despite the West Bengal government urging them to return to work, junior doctors continued their 'fast-unto-death' for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday amid Durga Puja festivities demanding justice for the RG Kar rape-murder victim, even as around 15 senior doctors joined them in solidarity by staging a symbolic hunger strike.

The senior doctors started their hunger strike at 9 am at Dorina Crossing in Esplanade area of central Kolkata, where the medics have been on 'fast-unto-death' since Saturday evening. Durga Puja festivities have begun and Tuesday is 'Panchami'.

The agitating junior doctors also planned to bring out a rally from College Square to Esplanade around 4.30 pm to press for their demands, including safety at the workplace.

Doctors Snigdha Hazra, Tanaya Panja and Anustup Mukhopadhyay of Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, Arnab Mukhopadhyay of SSKM, Pulastha Acharya of NRS Medical College and Hospital and Sayantani Ghosh Hazra of KPC Medical College are staging the 'fast-unto-death' since Saturday evening and was joined by Aniket Mahato of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Sunday.

Urging the junior doctors to return to work, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on Monday said that 90 per cent of the ongoing projects at medical colleges in the state would be completed by next month.

"I am requesting everyone to come back to work and give services to the people. Some of them already have. We are all working towards improving the environment. They (junior medics) will appreciate that very good progress has been made on the promises made by the government," he said at the state secretariat.

"I will request them all to join duties. What they want is a safer environment and we are working towards that. There is a positive intent from everybody's side. There is no difference of opinion so far as over larger objective is concerned," he added.

The junior doctors had on October 4 called off their 'total cease work', which had crippled healthcare services at state-run medical colleges and hospitals.

The protesting doctors emphasised that getting justice for the deceased woman medic remains their foremost priority.

They also called for the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam as well as accountability for alleged administrative incompetence and action against corruption in the department.

Their other demands include the establishment of a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and formation of task forces to ensure essential provisions for CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.

They are also demanding increased police protection in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel, and swift filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.

The junior doctors started the 'cease work' protest following the rape and murder of a fellow medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

They ended their stir after 42 days on September 21 following assurances from the state government to look into their demands.

However, they renewed their 'total cease work' on October 1 after an attack on medics by a patient's family at the state-run College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital the previous week but called it off on October 4 and started the sit-in and 'fast-unto-death' a day later.