Bengal junior docs threaten hunger strike, give govt 24-hr deadline

Despite calling off their 'total cease work', agitating junior doctors in West Bengal continued their sit-in on Saturday in central Kolkata, alleging that the police baton-charged a few of them during a rally to press for justice for the deceased woman medic of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Braving the rain, they held the demonstration throughout the night in the Esplanade area.

Some were seen standing there with umbrellas in one hand, while others managed to get shelter under a temporary plastic shade at the Dorina crossing in the area, protesting the alleged baton charge by the police on Friday during their rally from the SSKM hospital in the southern part of the city to Esplanade.

The junior doctors called off their 'total cease work' at state-run medical colleges and hospitals around 8.30 pm on Friday but threatened to launch a hunger strike till death if their demands were not met by the West Bengal government within 24 hours.

They also placed a huge clock at their demonstration site to keep a count of the time.

"When you are fighting for a significant cause, you cannot expect things to be easy. We anticipated better treatment from the state government. The baton charge and the verbal abuse from the police were both unnecessary, and we demand an apology," Debasish Halder, a representative of the protesting junior medics, told PTI.

"We will not vacate this place until that is provided," he added.

Medics from RG Kar medical college, alongside their peers from various hospitals, joined the protest.

"It's time for the state government to respond and show that they are genuinely eager to resolve this issue. The clock is ticking for them," added Aniket Mahato, another junior medic.

The ongoing demonstration caused significant traffic disruptions, with a police presence surrounding the protest site at the Dorina Crossing.

The protesters emphasised that securing justice for the deceased woman medic remains their foremost priority.

Among their nine demands, they are calling for the immediate removal of state Health Secretary N S Nigam, as well as accountability for the alleged administrative incompetence and corruption within the health department.

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

Furthermore, they are advocating increased police protection in hospitals, the recruitment of permanent women police personnel, and the swift filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.

"Elections for student councils must be conducted immediately in every medical college in the state. All colleges must recognise the Resident Doctors' Association, and elected representation of students and junior doctors must be ensured in all committees managing colleges and hospitals," Halder asserted.

The junior doctors are also demanding an immediate inquiry into alleged corruption and lawlessness within the West Bengal Medical Council and the West Bengal Health Recruitment Board.

On Thursday night, they convened a governing body meeting of the Junior Doctors' Forum after their senior counterparts requested them to end their "total cease work" and resume regular duties.

The junior doctors had resumed their cease work on October 1, following an attack on medics by a patient's family at the College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital last week.

Previously, they had engaged in a 42-day complete "cease work" following the rape-murder of a fellow medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

They ultimately ended their strike on September 21 after discussions with state officials and resumed essential medical services.