The hunger strike by members of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF) entered 10th day on Monday.

After the meeting at Swasthya Bhavan, the Health Department’s headquarters in Kolkata, Chief Secretary Pant said, “We noted down their demands. We said very clearly that we have already met seven of the 10 demands. Some are being met while there is positive progress in others. As far as meeting the rest of the demands is concerned, we clearly said that we can’t give a timeline.”

He added, “For the remaining three demands, they were requesting specific timelines. These are administrative decisions that the state government needs to consider, so we cannot provide a deadline at this point. We again appealed to the junior doctors that they should withdraw their fast unto death. We are worried about their physical condition.”

The senior doctors, on the other hand, expressed disappointment, saying the meeting bore no positive outcome.

Dr Kaushik Chaki, president of the West Bengal Doctors’ Forum, said, “The meeting was unproductive. We requested the state government to send someone — preferably the highest-ranking official — to engage with the young doctors who are fasting. However, the Chief Secretary indicated that he could not provide any deadline.”

Biplab Chandra, a doctor, said, “The junior doctors’ demands are quite legitimate and they want a positive outcome. But, after this meeting, we are not sure if the state government is at all very positive about meeting these demands.”

Representatives of at least 12 doctors’ associations, including the Indian Medical Association (IMA), were present at the over two-hour meeting that was also attended by Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and senior health officials.

However, the absence of Health Secretary NS Nigam was questioned by the doctors’ representatives, who urged Pant to visit the fasting junior medics and speak with them directly. Government sources said Nigam was to New Delhi to attend the Supreme Court hearing on the RG Kar issue scheduled on Tuesday.

Dr Subarna Goswami, also a representative of senior doctors, said, “We expected that the government will come to the meeting with full preparation but we are disappointed. Even the Health Secretary was not present in the meeting.”

Pant further said, “Let them return so we can work together toward our common goals. Our intentions are clear.”

Protests in West Bengal in other states erupted over the safety of healthcare professionals in August after the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College in August.

— PTI inputs