Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a salary hike for government doctors in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. Banerjee, who is also the health minister of the state, announced a fund of Rs 2 crore for each medical college in the state for their cultural and sporting activities.
The CM also demanded strict punishment for the culprit in the rape and murder of an on-duty medic inside state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August last year, which triggered widespread agitation by doctors who demanded justice for the deceased, workplace security and redressal of several grievances.
The trial court has sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment till death after he was convicted of rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The case is now pending in the Calcutta High Court.
Banerjee, while addressing a gathering of senior and junior doctors and medical students here, Banerjee highlighted her government's efforts to ensure justice and emphasised the introduction of the Aparajita Bill, which seeks capital punishment for rape convicts. Lauding the roles of the medics in providing healthcare services, she announced a salary hike of Rs 15,000 for senior doctors, and Rs 10,000 for junior doctors including the interns, house staff and post-graduate trainees.
"Senior doctors teach the junior doctors many things. I will request the senior doctors not to leave everything on the juniors be it a C-section or a cardiac surgery. Give at least eight hours of your service for government hospitals and then carry on with your private practice. I don't have any problem with that," she said.
Banerjee also extended the distance limit for government doctors' private practice from 20 to 30 kilometres from their workplace. Referring to the death of a woman and four others falling ill after childbirth due to the alleged administration of 'expired' intravenous fluid on them at the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital earlier this year, Banerjee emphasised that "medical negligence" was responsible for that incident.
Banerjee revoked the suspension of 12 doctors of Midnapore Medical College and Hospital in connection with the death of the woman. "There was definitely medical negligence in Midnapore Medical College and Hospital matter. An investigation is being done and for that, I will not say anything more. Some of the junior doctors were suspended and police have probed into their roles. Thinking about their future, I have decided to withdraw the suspension," she said.
Banerjee started addressing the programme with the RG Kar hospital issue. "I extend my condolences to the family of the sister who was killed in RG Kar hospital. We demand proper punishment in this case," Banerjee said. "I had also taken to the streets in protest against the incident. Our government had passed the Aparajita Bill, but it is still pending (with the President)," she said.
The Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill, 2024 was unanimously passed by the West Bengal Assembly in September last. The Bill proposes capital punishment for rape convicts if their crime results in the victim's death or leaves her in a vegetative state.
Earlier this month, several Trinamool Congress MPs met President Droupadi Murmu to discuss the pending Bill, which was sent to the President's office by Governor CV Ananda Bose.
"I entrust my brothers with the responsibility of protecting our sisters and preventing such incidents in the future. Today, there is no gender disparity, which is a very positive development. The government will certainly do its part, but I believe you (brothers) can take a proactive role in this matter," she added.
Monday's meeting witnessed the participation of over 2,000 junior and senior doctors from across the state. The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, which spearheaded the agitation following the rape and murder of their colleague, boycotted the event.
