RG Kar impasse: Doctors' body writes to Mamata Banerjee, urges to address grievances

KOLKATA: An association of doctors has written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, urging her to address grievances of junior medics who have been protesting over the alleged rape and murder of their colleague at the state-run RG Kar hospital here. The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), in a statement issued on Thursday, has said that it would declare a nationwide "complete shutdown of medical services" in case "any harm befalls brave junior doctors" who have been on fast unto death at Kolkata's Esplanade area.

"We are extremely concerned about the deteriorating health conditions of the junior doctors while visuals emerge on social media of you engaging in festivities, ignoring their pleas. We urge you to understand the gravity of the situation, acknowledge the importance and take immediate and decisive action to address their grievances, as time is running out," the statement said. The doctors' body also stated that they were getting ready to initiate a "complete shutdown" in case the Bengal CM "fails to ensure a safe and secured working environment" for healthcare professionals.

"We want to let you know that if any harm befalls these brave junior doctors due to the state’s inaction, FAIMA and RDAs (Resident Doctors Associations) across the country will have no choice but to declare a complete shutdown of medical services across India," the FAIMA said. The FAIMA, which is representing the Resident Doctors’ Associations from across the country, said that it "stands in full solidarity with the junior medics of West Bengal".

"The national team of FAIMA is already in touch with all national associations and state associations to initiate a nationwide shutdown of elective services if any harm happens to any of the doctors on an indefinite hunger strike in your city," the body said.

6th day of hunger strike today

Junior doctors agitating over the rape and murder of their colleague at the RG Kar hospital continued their fast unto death for the sixth day on Friday, even as the condition of one of the medics on hunger strike, who was hospitalised on October 11, remained "critical", said health officials in West Bengal. The FAIMA, in the letter to the CM, said that they found all demands of the medics "absolutely genuine and can be fulfilled by your directives, which can be issued in a single day".

Notably, a 10-member delegation from the Resident Doctors' Associations from across the country is currently camping at the junior medics' protest site in Kolkata to share real-time updates with such bodies. The junior doctors have been asking the state government to remove health secretary NS Nigam and to fulfil nine other demands.

Their 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.