Junior doctor continue fast unto death demanding justice; workplace security enters 5th day

KOLKATA: Junior doctors continued their 'fast-unto-death' for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday demanding justice for the RG Kar rape-murder victim and workplace safety. Doctors Snigdha Hazra, Tanaya Panja, and Anustup Mukhopadhyay from Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, Arnab Mukhopadhyay from SSKM, Pulastha Acharya from NRS Medical College and Hospital, and Sayantani Ghosh Hazra from KPC Medical College have been staging a 'fast-unto-death' since Saturday evening.

On Sunday, they were joined by Aniket Mahato from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Two other junior doctors of Coochbehar Medical College are also continuing their hunger strike for the third day consecutive day in support of their colleagues here. "We will continue this hunger strike as we had promised. Some leaders of the ruling party are making fun of our protest, but we would like to tell them that there is no fake in that.

If they want they can come here and check themselves... We will not stop until our demands are met," Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating junior doctors, told PTI. Agitating junior doctors will be distributing leaflets outlining their demands for justice for their murdered colleague at various Durga Puja pandals in the city on Wednesday besides holding a blood donation camp, one of the agitating medics said.

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Dr Punyabrata Gun, one of the joint convenors of the West Bengal Joint Platform of Doctors said that they would continue supporting the junior medics as they were "keen to tender resignation" to put the government under pressure to fulfil the demands of the junior medics. Senior doctors who came in support of their junior medics and held two rallies in the city on Tuesday were planning to come out with another march from the city's Karunamoyee More to CBI's office at CGO Complex on Wednesday demanding quick probe of the crime.

On Friday, the junior doctors had called off their 'total cease work', which had crippled healthcare services at state-run medical colleges and hospitals. The protesting doctors emphasised that securing justice for the deceased woman medic remains their foremost priority. They also called for the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam as well as accountability for the alleged administrative incompetence and action against corruption in the department.

Other demands include the establishment of a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, the implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and formation of task forces to ensure essential provisions for CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces. They are also demanding increased police protection in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel, and swift filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. The junior doctors went on to cease work following the rape-murder of a fellow medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. They ended their stir after 42 days on September 21 following assurances from the state government to look into their demands.