Junior doctors in Kolkata are on a hunger strike in front of the state government demanding justice for a female colleague who was gang raped and found murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The junior doctors claimed their demands were not met by the West Bengal government, that is why they started the hunger strike during the Durga Puja festival.
Junior Doctors Go On Hunger Strike
Junior doctors in state hospitals started their hunger strike on October 4, after giving the state government 24 hours to respond. “The government has not met the deadline, so we are starting fast until our demands are fulfilled,” said one doctor. They have fixed CCTV cameras outside the protest site. All that goes here is fairly transparent.
Currently, six doctors are on hunger strike. “We will join duty but will not eat anything. If any doctor gets sick during the fast, the state will be responsible,” said one of the doctors.
Issues Regarding Police Action
Earlier, they had resorted to a strike protesting violence and insecurity in hospitals. They have alleged that the police did not let them set up their protest camp and used batons on them during their agitation. Kolkata Police has asked the doctors to identify the officers involved and file a formal complaint about the alleged attacks.
Key Demands Of The Protesting Doctors
Over a thousand protesting doctors have placed several significant demands centering around safety measures and improvement of the health delivery facilities within the hospitals. The demands include:
1. Justice for the Deceased Doctor: Ensuring justice for the woman doctor who was killed.
2. Removal of Health Secretary: Immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam due to poor administration.
3. Centralized Referral System: Setting up a centralized system for referring patients between hospitals.
4. Bed Vacancy Monitoring: Implementation of the monitoring system for the availability of hospital beds.
5. Improvement in Police Security: Improvement in police security deployed at hospitals. Hiring more female police forces.
6. Installation of CCTV Cameras: Installation of CCTV cameras in different parts of the hospitals
7. Recruitment of Officers: Immediate recruitment for vacant positions in ranks of doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff.
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