RG Kar case: Junior doctors continue fast-unto-death, demand justice, workplace safety

PTI, Oct 7, 2024, 10:41 AM IST

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal continued their fast-unto-death for the third consecutive day on Monday, demanding justice for the rape and murder of a woman medic of the RG Kar hospital and workplace safety even as the state government remained silent to address their issues.

Six junior medics have been on the fast-onto-death since Saturday evening and later one more joined them.

“Our fast-unto-death protest is on. We have not received any message from the state government. We will continue this until all our demands are met. No external pressure will be able to move us from our path of protest seeking justice for our deceased sister… It’s now or never,” Aniket Mahato, a junior doctor, told PTI.

Mahato of RG Kar hospital joined Snigdha Hazra, Tanaya Panja and Anustup Mukhopadhyay of Kolkata medical college, Arnab Mukhopadhyay of SSKM hospital, Pulastha Acharya of NRS medical college and Sayantani Ghosh Hazra of KPC medical college for the fast-unto-death protest.

The junior medics also alleged non-cooperation on the part of the Kolkata Police as they were not allowed to set up bio-toilets at the protest site at Dorina Crossing in the Dharmatala area of the city.

To maintain transparency, the junior medics have installed CCTV cameras where their colleagues are holding the strike.

A large number of people and a few celebrities gathered at the protest site to express solidarity with the agitating doctors.

On Friday, the junior doctors had called off their ‘total cease work’, which had crippled healthcare services at state-run medical colleges and hospitals.

The protesting doctors emphasised that securing justice for the deceased woman medic remains their foremost priority.

They also called for the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam, as well as accountability for the alleged administrative incompetence and action against corruption in the department.

Other demands include the establishment of a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and formation of task forces to ensure essential provisions for CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.

They are also demanding increased police protection in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel, and swift filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.

The junior doctors went on to cease work following the rape-murder of a fellow medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

They ended their stir after 42 days on September 21 following assurances from the state government to look into their demands.