Kolkata. Junior doctors have decided to call off their ‘complete work stoppage’ strike, but despite this the doctors are continuing their protest. Actually, on Friday, doctors were taking out a rally at SSKM Hospital in Kolkata. During this, the police lathicharged the doctors’ rally. There is resentment among doctors due to lathicharge by the police. Despite the rain, the doctors’ protest continues. Doctors are protesting in Alpalande area. During this time, some protesters were seen carrying umbrellas and some were seen hiding under polythene sheds.
Protesting doctors threatened to start a fast unto death
The doctors had earlier announced a complete work stoppage, but on Friday at around 8.30 pm, they decided to call off the complete work stoppage strike. The doctors have given a 24-hour ultimatum to the Bengal government and demanded that either the government accept their demands or they will start a fast unto death. Doctors have also installed a big clock at the protest site so that punctuality can be maintained. The protesting doctors say that ‘when you fight for a cause, you cannot expect that things will be easy. However, we had expected that we would be treated well by the state government. The lathicharge and abusive language used by the police, both are wrong. We demand an apology from him.
Doctors’ warning – time is passing fast for the state government
Apart from doctors from RG Kar Medical College, doctors from many other hospitals are also involved in the protest. A protesting junior doctor said, ‘Now is the time for the state government to respond and show that they are willing to resolve this issue. Time is passing fast. The protesters say that getting justice for the deceased female doctor is their top priority.
The protesting doctors have these demands from the state government
The demands made by the protesting doctors from the government include the immediate removal of State Health Secretary NS Nigam from the post and accountability for alleged administrative inefficiency and corruption in the health department. Also included are demands for setting up a centralized referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, a system to monitor bed vacancy and constituting a task force to ensure necessary provisions for CCTV, on call rooms and washrooms at workplaces. Is. Apart from these, the doctors are demanding increased police security in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women policemen and rapid filling of vacant posts of doctors, nurses and other health workers.
Doctors raised demand for elections
The doctors are also demanding immediate holding of student council elections in every medical college in the state and recognition of all the colleges by the Resident Doctors Association (RDA). It has also demanded to ensure elected representation of students and junior doctors in all committees managing medical colleges and hospitals. The junior doctors are also demanding an immediate inquiry into the alleged corruption and lawlessness within the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) and the West Bengal Health Recruitment Board (WBHRB).