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The ongoing protests by junior doctors in West Bengal, sparked by the tragic rape and murder of a doctor in August, have reached a critical juncture as pressure mounts for them to end their full cease work ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja festivities. The doctors are demanding the fulfillment of promised safety and security measures by the state government, but their continued strike is causing significant disruption to healthcare services in the region.
On October 1st, junior doctors across state-run medical colleges and hospitals announced a renewed strike, marking the resumption of their protest after a brief 10-day withdrawal of their initial 42-day strike. This renewed action highlights the doctors' frustration with the perceived lack of progress in addressing their concerns regarding safety and security. Amidst the ongoing protests, a critical meeting took place on October 3rd, where agitating junior doctors convened with senior doctors and faculty members at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) to discuss potential avenues for moving forward.
The meeting served as a platform for open dialogue, with junior doctors seeking insights and guidance from senior colleagues. Kinjal Nanda, a protesting junior doctor from RGKMCH, emphasized the importance of their discussions with senior faculty, stating, 'We are meeting senior doctors and our faculty members today to discuss what they think about the cease work. After all, they have been there with us from the very beginning of the movement.' The meeting also saw a range of perspectives emerge regarding the best course of action for the protesting doctors.
While the junior doctors remain resolute in their demands for enhanced safety measures, a growing sentiment among senior doctors and faculty members leans towards a more measured approach to the protests. Maitreyi Bandopadhyay, head of the microbiology department at RGKMCH, expressed her support for the protests while advocating for a transition to a partial cease work model. This approach, she argued, would allow classes to continue while ensuring a continued presence of protesting doctors in the hospitals to manage the patient load. Bandopadhyay stated, 'Classes should continue, protests should also continue, but with partial cease work… Many poor people come to the hospital for treatment. We won’t be able to manage the patient load without our junior doctors.'
Another faculty member at RGKMCH echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of maintaining some level of hospital services during the strike. He acknowledged the validity of the junior doctors' protest while urging them to resume work partially to ensure uninterrupted access to healthcare services for patients. This sentiment aligns with the view of former Trinamool Congress MP Jawhar Sircar, who resigned last month over the doctor’s rape and murder and corruption allegations at RGKMCH. In a recent post on X, Sircar appealed to the protesting doctors to return to work while continuing their protests, stating, “Dear junior doctors, I have resigned as MP to be with you and women fighting for security and honour… but don’t stay away from work and make people suffer.”
The pressure for a resolution to the strike intensifies as Durga Puja approaches. This major religious festival is a time of celebration and travel, potentially increasing the demand for healthcare services. The strike, if continued, could lead to disruptions in patient care during this crucial period. The junior doctors' demands for improved safety and security are rooted in the tragic events of August, and their resolve to continue their protest highlights the urgency of addressing these concerns. However, the potential consequences of prolonged strike action on the availability of healthcare services during Durga Puja are significant and raise the stakes in the ongoing dialogue between the doctors and the government.
Source: Pressure mounts on West Bengal junior doctors to call off full cease work ahead of Durga Puja