Scaling up the protest, they also announced they would suspend emergency services as well from Monday onwards. Earlier, doctors and junior doctors observed cease work for non-emergency services in state-run medical college hospitals on Sunday. The new move is expected to paralyse state-run hospitals.
The statement issued by the ‘Representatives of All the Resident Doctors of West Bengal’ on Sunday night after a meeting said the doctors were “disgusted and heartbroken” by the alleged rape and murder of the 31-year-old postgraduate student who was found dead in the seminar hall at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital on Friday. The police arrested a civic volunteer, Sanjay Roy, in connection with the crime and the government removed hospital superintendent Sanjay Vashisth.
On Monday morning, principal of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, Professor Sandip Ghosh, submitted his resignation. His removal was one of the demands by agitating doctors. Their other demands include:
The statement also outlined a plan of action, which said the doctors would observe a cease-work protest (both emergency and non-emergency services) in all West Bengal medical colleges until their demands were met.
According to the statement, resident doctors at K M Hospital, Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, Midnapore Medical College Hospital, R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, and Nilratan Sarkar Medical College and Hospital will be among those who will observe the cease-work protest.
It also said a mass citizens’ rally will be held from 4 pm on Monday from College Square to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
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