The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has issued a strong appeal to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, urging her immediate intervention in the ongoing hunger strike of junior doctors. The protest, sparked by the tragic rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, has entered its sixth day, with doctors demanding improved security measures and justice for the victim.
In its letter to the Chief Minister, the IMA expressed solidarity with the protesting doctors and highlighted the need for swift action. “It has been almost a week since the young doctors of Bengal have been on a fast-unto-death struggle,” the letter read.
The association emphasized that the demands of the junior doctors were just and should be addressed immediately. The letter added, “Peaceful ambience and security are not a luxury. They are a prerequisite.”
The IMA also offered its assistance to the government, stating, “The entire medical fraternity of India is concerned and trusts you would be able to save their lives. If the offices of the Indian Medical Association could be of any help, we would gladly assist.”
Hunger Strike Takes Toll
As the hunger strike continues, the health of some protesting doctors has started to deteriorate. On Thursday night, Aniket Mahato, one of the junior doctors participating in the strike, was hospitalized after his condition worsened. “Aniket Mahato’s parameters were not good, and he was taken to RG Kar Hospital for admission to the ICU,” said senior doctor Subarna Goswami.
Mahato has been a leading figure in the protests, demanding justice for the rape and murder of the female doctor. His fellow protesters expressed concern over his declining health, with one stating, “His pulse rate was very low and other parameters were also not normal.”
Medical Team Assesses Strikers’ Health
In response to the deteriorating condition of the protesters, the state health department dispatched a team of specialist doctors to the protest site. The four-member team assessed the health of the seven junior doctors who have been fasting for five days. Diptendra Sarkar, a member of the team, stated, “We are like their parents, and as elders, we have suggested that they should be admitted to a hospital before their condition worsens.”
The strike was triggered by the government’s failure to meet the doctors’ demands for increased security and justice for their deceased colleague. The tragic incident on August 9, where a woman doctor was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College, has left the medical community outraged.
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