Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: Docs Partially Withdraw Strike, To Join Duty From Saturday

West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum (WBJDF), the umbrella body spearheading the protest demonstrations against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata last month, WBJDF has also announced that they will be participating in the medical camps to be opened by the state government amid the looming health crisis in the wake of the post-flood situation in the state.

Kolkata:West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum (WBJDF), the umbrella body spearheading the protest demonstrations against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata last month, has decided to partially withdraw their strike and join back duty but only in the General Emergency Departments in different medical colleges & hospitals from Saturday.

WBJDF has also announced that they will be participating in the medical camps to be opened by the state government amid the looming health crisis in the wake of the post-flood situation in the state.

"Our fight for justice has not ended," doctors said, adding they would take necessary steps to provide medical relief to flood-affected people in the state. "We will withdraw our 'cease work' partially from Saturday and withdraw our sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan on Friday," the doctors further added. They further stated, "We will wait for a week for the implementation of all promises of the (West) Bengal government; if unfulfilled, we will resume cease work."

“However, barring the General Emergency Department and medical camps we will not be rejoining duty in any other department,” confirmed a protesting junior doctor.WBJDF representative Dr Aniket Mahato also informed the media persons that their sit-in protests in front of Swastha Bhavan, the state health department headquarters at Salt Lake in the northern outskirts of Kolkata will be lifted on Friday afternoon.

He said that on Friday afternoon, WBJDF will be organising a rally from Swastha Bhavan, to the CBI office at the CGO complex also in Salt Lake, demanding the central agency promptly complete its ongoing investigation in the rape and murder case.

“We will demand from the CBI that they ensure justice for the victim at the earliest by pinpointing the culprits,” Mahato said. However, the protesting junior doctors made it clear that the partial calling off of the cease-work might be temporary and it would be resumed if their demands which the state government has claimed to have accepted are not fulfilled on paper. The decision comes in the wake of a note issued from the office of Chief Secretary Manoj Pant announcing that a security audit will be conducted at all medical colleges & hospitals in the state. In the note, it was also claimed that police and security personnel along with female personnel will be deployed in every healthcare facility in consultation with the state home department. It has also been decided that immediate steps should be taken to fill up vacant posts of doctors, nurses and GDAs technicians, among others.

“A robust grievance redressal system should be developed to address promptly the grievances and complaints of all the stakeholders including patient & patient parties,” the note read.

Govt to conduct security audit of medical colleges

The West Bengal government has decided to conduct a security audit of all medical colleges & hospitals in the state. The state government has appointed former state Director General of Police Surajit Kar Purakayastha to head the endeavour, according to a note given by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on Thursday to Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam.

"Necessary co-operation in this regard should be extended by all concerned," the note read. As per the note, adequate availability of on-duty rooms, washrooms, CCTVs, and drinking water facilities should be ensured in the healthcare facilities. Works in this connection must be completed as early as possible.All medical colleges and hospitals and other health care institutions must be advised to ensure implementation of these measures in consultation with all stakeholders, the note read. As per the note, it has also been decided that committees, including internal complaints committees, should be made fully functional by the department.

"It should be ensured that an adequate number of police/security personnel along with female police/security personnel is deployed in every healthcare facility in consultation with the state Home Department. It should also be ensured that mobile teams are deployed by local police authorities for surveillance, especially during night hours," the note from the Chief Secretary read."

It should be ensured that Centralised Helpline No. is implemented for ensuring the safety and security of healthcare personnel. Such Helplines should also be made available in every healthcare facility as early as possible. A panic call button alarm system along with access control systems should be made operational in every healthcare facility as early as possible," it read.

It has also been decided that immediate steps should be taken to fill up vacant posts of doctors, nurses and GDAs technicians, among others. "A robust grievance redressal system should be developed to address promptly the grievances and complaints of all the stakeholders including patient & patient parties," the note read.