Kolkata rape-murder: Judicial probe on junior docs' demand list, govt scurries to fill hospital gaps
Times of India | 12 August 2024
Students protest at Calcutta National Medical College on Sunday KOLKATA: The agitating doctors at RG Kar Medical College hospital on Sunday demanded a judicial probe, daily update on the probe progress, compensation to the victim's family and capital punishment for the perpetrator to end the ongoing cease work. Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goyal spoke to the agitators and promised "speedy and transparent" action.
The Resident Doctors' Association of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has made it clear that they will continue to cease all work, including emergency services. Lahari Sarkar, speaking on behalf of the protesting doctors, said: "Our demands are clear, and we will not rest until justice is delivered."
All junior doctors of medical colleges and hospitals in Bengal have joined the cease work in solidarity.
The protests at various state-run hospitals is likely to severely disrupt hospital operations statewide from Monday. On Sunday, the state health department cancelled offs and holidays of all senior doctors to tackle the stalemate.
Outpatient departments (OPDs) are not open in state-run hospitals on Sunday. "We expect a huge rush of patients from Monday as OPDs will be opened. That is why leaves of all senior doctors were cancelled," the official said. None of them joined duty on Sunday. The authorities in various hospitals are facing problems in providing service to patients, officials said. A protesting junior doctor, Anupam Roy, said: "Senior doctors are there to do hospital duties, but we will continue cease work until our demands are met."
The protest has garnered support from resident doctors' associations at other hospitals in the city, including SSKM Hospital, where doctors held a press conference to express their solidarity. They condemned the alleged assault on junior doctors who had gone to RG Kar to join the protest.
The Federation of Resident Doctors Association has announced a nationwide halt of elective services in hospitals on Monday to show solidarity to the resident doctors of RG Kar Medical College.
In Delhi, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, and associated hospitals have also decided to suspend elective services. Maulana Azad Medical College and its associated hospitals will begin an indefinite suspension of elective services, including OPD, wards, and elective operating theatres, starting Monday.