Kolkata: Medical colleges in the city, which have started work on revamping campus security and basic amenities, said on Wednesday that the renovation work had so far progressed 30% to 50% at different institutes. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss the progress of the infrastructure and security overhaul at medical colleges.
While the agenda of the CM’s meeting has not yet been announced to them, medical college heads expect a discussion on the progress of renovation and security enhancement. “We have not been told the agenda at the CM’s meeting. But considering the demand of junior doctors, a part of the meeting could be about the progress of security and amenity upgrade,” said an administrator at a medical college. “The CM may ask us anything, including suggestions on improving infrastructure and services. We are prepared,” said the head of another college.
At RG Kar, the epicentre of the junior doctors’ protest, 200 new CCTV cameras are being installed. Officials claimed renovation could not be started in some buildings as they were under the CBI now. Listing out the work on his campus, Pit Baran Chakraborty, principal at NRS Medical College, said, “While most dark portions on the campus have got light, new CCTV cameras are being installed and washrooms and duty rooms are being renovated.”
One of the demands by junior doctors, who are still on partial cease-work, is adequate amenities, such as duty rooms for male and female doctors with attached toilets.
The state has sanctioned Rs 100 crore for the overhaul at all the 26 govt medical colleges in Bengal and some hospitals that run PG courses. “Renovation of duty rooms and installation of bells is partially done. We will install panic buttons. Thirty new CCTV cameras have been set up,” said Indranil Biswas, principal at Medical College and Hospital.
An IPGMER official said 50% work on renovation and CCTV cameras was over.
“Three-times more cops have been deployed, we have set up CCTV cameras. As ours is a relatively new college, 60% resting rooms have attached washrooms. For the rest, funds have been sanctioned and we have invited tenders,” said Partha Pratim Pradhan, principal, Sagore Dutta Hospital.
Medical college heads have held talks with Swasthya Bhavan officials on improving the referral system and with state human rights panel on improving healthcare services.