Junior doctors in West Bengal, who have been protesting for 41 days, have announced they will end their sit-in before the Swasthya Bhavan, the state health department’s headquarters, on Friday. However, their fight for justice is far from over. They will hold a march to the CBI office in Salt Lake to demand swift and thorough investigations into the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at the state-run RG Kar Hospital last month.
The doctors had announced a partial resumption of their duties, focusing on essential services in state-run hospitals, starting from Saturday. This decision comes after the state government agreed to address some of their concerns. The doctors will organize a procession from their protest site to the CGO Complex, a distance of around 4 km, to mark the end of their 10-day dharna and to underscore their demands for justice.
In a poignant tribute to the murdered doctor, the medics also announced the establishment of ‘Abhaya’ medical camps in flood-affected regions of West Bengal starting Friday. These camps will provide medical assistance to those affected by the ongoing floods.
“Given the flood situation in West Bengal and the state government agreeing to certain demands of ours, we will be rejoining emergency and essential services partially from Saturday,” an agitating doctor said on Thursday following a general body meeting. While the doctors have agreed to return to some duties, they have made it clear they will not be working in the Outpatient Department (OPD) for now. They will continue to monitor the government’s actions and will fully resume their “cease work” if their demands are not met within a week.
These announcements follow a series of directives issued by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on the safety, security, and conducive environment for healthcare professionals. Pant’s directives are a direct response to the issues raised by the doctors during a meeting with the state task force on Wednesday. The state government has also taken some administrative actions, including the transfer of Kolkata Police chief Vineet Goyal and the removal of the directors of medical education and health services. This is in addition to the West Bengal Medical Council canceling the registration of RG Kar Medical College’s former principal Sandip Ghosh, an orthopaedic surgeon currently in CBI custody.
The junior doctors’ struggle for justice and improved working conditions in West Bengal’s healthcare system continues. Their march to the CBI office on Friday is a clear sign of their determination to hold authorities accountable and ensure the safety and dignity of medical professionals.
