Protesting doctors are demanding increased police protection in hospitals, the recruitment of permanent female police personnel, and the swift filling of vacant healthcare positions.
The fast-unto-death protest by junior doctors in West Bengal, sparked by the rape and murder of a colleague at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, entered its eighth day on Saturday. Several representatives have been on hunger strike since last Saturday. Doctor Aniket Mahato, who was hospitalized due to health complications from his fast, is currently in “critical but stable” condition. He has begun to respond to treatment, according to a member of the five-doctor team monitoring him in the critical care unit (CCU).
While Aniket’s condition has shown some improvement, he will require more recovery time and will remain in the CCU for further tests. Colleagues of other protesters on hunger strike noted that their health is declining, with Debasish Halder, one of the protesting doctors, stating, “It’s natural for their condition to worsen after several days of fasting. However, they are determined to continue.”
An ICU ambulance has been stationed near Dorina Crossing at Esplanade to provide rapid response in case any fasting doctors’ health deteriorates further. Two junior doctors participating in the hunger strike at North Bengal Medical College are also experiencing health issues.
The junior doctors have garnered support from many senior colleagues nationwide, leading the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to call on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene before the situation escalates. The ongoing protests have prompted the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) to warn of a nationwide “complete shutdown of medical services” if any harm comes to the junior doctors.
On Friday, IMA national president RV Asokan met with the fasting junior doctors to listen to their concerns. After visiting another junior doctor admitted to RG Kar Hospital, he expressed admiration for their efforts, stating, “I am moved by how these young individuals are advocating for the public rather than themselves. They are the true heroes, and we are all proud of them.” Asokan urged the Chief Minister to address the situation without further delay.
While the junior doctors did not discuss ending their fast, they remained focused on their demands and confident in their pursuit of justice for their deceased colleague. “They did not mention withdrawing the fast but emphasized their demands and the government’s indifference,” he noted.
In solidarity, the junior doctors have encouraged the public to observe “Arandhan” (no cooking) on Ekadashi, marking the completion of their seven-day fast. “When our freedom fighters were on hunger strikes, the public observed ‘Arandhan’ in their support,” one doctor explained.
As the hunger strike continues, several senior doctors and community members have joined the junior doctors at Esplanade, where a large crowd gathered, chanting, “We want justice.”
Meanwhile, the Fortis Group of Hospitals announced they would suspend all non-emergency services starting October 12.
In a related development, the Calcutta High Court granted interim bail to nine youths arrested for chanting “We want justice” slogans outside a Durga Puja marquee on October 9. They had previously been remanded to seven days in police custody.
Government Response
In response to the protesting doctors’ recent correspondence, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant provided a report on various healthcare initiatives in West Bengal, highlighting extensive safety improvements, including the installation of over 7,000 CCTVs, new duty rooms, and enhanced facilities across medical colleges.
“To enhance the safety and security of medical professionals, we are implementing significant infrastructural developments across various medical colleges, including 7,051 CCTVs, 893 new duty rooms, and 778 washrooms. Additionally, we are improving lighting, alarm systems, and biometric access control across all medical colleges and hospitals statewide,” Pant stated.
Demands of the Doctors
The junior doctors are seeking justice for their murdered colleague at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam. Their other demands include the establishment of a centralized referral system for hospitals and medical colleges, the implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and the formation of task forces to ensure essential provisions like CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.
They are also calling for increased police protection in hospitals, the recruitment of permanent female police personnel, and the prompt filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. The protests began after the tragic rape and murder of a fellow medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, with the doctors ceasing work for 42 days before resuming on September 21 after assurances from the state government.
Continuing Protests
On the festival of Vijaya Dashami, the fast-unto-death agitation by junior doctors continued, with the number of protesters on hunger strike at Esplanade rising to eight after two more joined the six initial participants. The hunger strike commenced on October 5 with six junior doctors: Tanaya Panja, Snigdha Hazra, Sayantani Ghosh Hazra, Anushtup Mukhopadhyay, Arnab Mukhopadhyay, and Pulastya Acharya. Aniket Mahato joined on October 6 but was later hospitalized due to health issues. With the addition of Alolika Ghorui and Parichay Panda, the total number of fasting junior doctors has now reached eight.
At the same time, two junior doctors at North Bengal Medical College & Hospital are also participating in parallel hunger strikes on campus. The parents of Snigdha Hazra have accused the local police of pressuring them to convince their daughter to end her protest.
Meanwhile, Citizens for Justice, a civil society platform, has organized a protest march to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Salt Lake to question the lack of progress in the CBI’s investigation into the rape and murder case compared to the initial findings by Kolkata Police.
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