Warning to launch “a bigger movement” over the issue of security to health workers, Debashish Halder, a leader of the WBJDF, said: “Our human side and sensitive approach is being mistaken as our weakness by the state government. If the government was so serious, how could a mob enter a female ward and threaten and assault those on duty.”
Before making the announcement, junior doctors held a meeting in the wake of the Friday attack on health staff at Kamarhati medical college that left three junior doctors, and three nurses and healthcare workers injured.
Police have arrested four persons, all family members of the 30-year-old woman patient, in connection with the incident. The Saturday strike disrupted OPD and emergency services at the hospital with protesting junior doctors demanding increased security measures and a safer working environment.
A meeting between the protesting junior doctors and college authorities on Saturday failed to end the deadlock.
State Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam and Barrackpore Police Commissioner Alok Rajoria also reached the medical college on Saturday to speak with the administration and junior doctors. “We want to return to work. We are students and doctors. However, we are not here to be assaulted. Last night, a mob of 25 barged into the female ward and duty-rest room for doctors. We were manhandled and had to hear statements that they would make an R G Kar here. Since the R G Kar incident, we have been demanding a secure environment. The state police failed to provide us that. Until security is guaranteed, we will continue our cease work and protest,” said a junior doctor of the medical college, referring to the August 9 rape and murder incident at Kolkata’s RG Kar hospital that triggered nationwide outrage and over a month-long strike by junior doctors.
“Only verbal promises from the authorities will not suffice. We want to see a secure environment on the ground. The administration and police have failed,” another junior doctor said.
After meeting the junior doctors, Health Secretary Nigam said, “An unfortunate incident took place here last night. We have beefed up security. From today, work for installing 260 additional CCTV installations will start on the premises.”
Barrackpore Police Commissioner Rajoria said a security audit of the hospital has already been done. “During the Friday night incident, police were proactive and we have arrested four persons. Hospital security is a collective responsibility. We are preparing an SOP (standard operating protocol),” said Rajoria.
The doctors, however, alleged that despite a newly established police outpost within the hospital grounds, police took 30 minutes to respond. “The female security guards present in the ward were mere spectators. They were clearly unprepared and incompetent in controlling the mob of 15-20 people. The police were acting like bystanders,” a statement issued by the protesting doctors read.
According to the junior doctors, a patient was admitted to the women’s ward on Friday afternoon with a fever. “All possible treatments were given to her. But unfortunately, despite all our efforts, she died around 6 pm… Around 10-12 relatives of the patient, mostly men, entered the ward and started harassing and abusing the doctors and health staff,” a junior doctor said. CCTV footage from inside the hospital showed a woman attacking doctors and health workers with a plate-like object.
Later, junior doctors of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital reached Kamarhati to express solidarity with their protesting colleagues at Sagore Dutta medical college.
After the evening meeting, Halder said: “We have been demanding the resignation of Nigam since the RG Kar incident. The same person today visited Sagore Dutta college and said that the principal of the hospital is responsibile for the incident.” He also announced holding a candle march on Sunday.
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