The striking junior doctors in Bengal will end the largest scale protest against the rape and murder of their colleague at the R G Kar medical college and hospital and to join work from Saturday. But there was a catch to it, they said they will not join OPD services or attend elected operations. The doctors claimed to take these back once they are satisfied with the state government ‘s commitment regarding the safety issue. The announcement was made after the state had agreed to most of their requests and in the midst of catastrophic flooding in south Bengal, where health services had been prioritised.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been visiting the flood- hit areas since yesterday. On Wednesday, the Chief Secretary attended the last meeting with the doctors and accepted their demands and suggestions about safety.
The Chief Secretary had sent a detailed list of instructions to the Principal Secretary, on Thursday, to ensure sufficient on-duty restrooms, rooms, CCTV cameras, women-only deployment of police and security officers, mobile police units for night time monitoring, a central helpline, panic buttons, and alarms.
Additionally, the authority has mandated a security audit of all state-run healthcare facilities.
“If needed, we will begin ceasework again,” said a representative of the junior doctors. They clearly said that this is a partial return to work and they may cease-work if their demands are not full filled.
Their desire for a speedy conclusion to the rape-murder of a thirty-one-year-old doctor, which is at the centre of the demonstration, will also continue, as will the legal battle.
A march from the protest location to the Central Bureau of Investigation office in the CGO Complex will signal the conclusion of this round of protest.
On Monday, the doctors and the Chief Minister finally met in person after three failed attempts to end their 41-day standoff with the state administration.
Mamata Banerjee promptly declared the dismissal of two senior health department officials and Kolkata Police Chief Vineet Goyal. Nonetheless, the physicians continue to demand that the health secretary be fired.
“I know they say they will go and discuss and then will decide on lifting the cease work. But I have asked them to do so, because of the patients’ condition especially for the floods in several districts,” he said after the meeting.
The doctors described the event as “successful” and said the government had joined the protests supported by thousands of city residents.
The events were sparked by violent protests that have spread across the country, already angered by the sudden violence.
