Kolkata rape case: Junior doctors won’t end strike now, seek 2nd meeting with CM Mamata Banerjee

After the West Bengal government appointed new police commissioner for Kolkata and removed two senior officials of the health department, the agitating junior doctors on Wednesday described their movement a “partial victory” and sought another meeting with the chief minister Mamata Banerjee, news agency PTI reported.

The doctors statement said they will continue their cease-work strike until their demands are implemented in a concrete manner by the state government. The decisions were announced after a general body meeting to decide on further course of action after chief minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that her government has accepted “99%” of junior doctors demands. She also urged them to resume their duties citing strain on the state medical infrastructure.

The meeting decided on sending another email to chief secretary Manoj Pant seeking another meeting with the chief minister to discuss other demands.

In addition to removal of former Kolkata top cop Vineet Goyal, the doctors had demanded the removal of state health secretary NS Nigam. Doctors claimed that they were assured on Nigam’s removal by the chief minister on Monday.

The doctors said they wanted to discuss measures announced regarding the safety and security of doctors inside hospitals. They also want a rundown on how the state plans to spend the promised ₹100 crore for tightening doctors’ safety in state-run hospitals.

“No effective security measures can be implemented in hospitals without a thorough overhaul of public healthcare delivery mechanism including streamlining of the referral system, the appointment of health workers and professional patient counsellors, plugging of admission corruption and ensuring availability of life-saving drugs,” the statement issued after the general body meeting read.

The meeting also demanded immediate notification of the chief secretary-headed task force in medical colleges which was promised during the meeting at Banerjee’s residence on Monday. They also demanded the student body elections be held and ensure adequate representation of junior doctors in the highest policy-making bodies of those institutions.