After more than a month of protests, junior doctors in Kolkata have called off their strike but will continue to demonstrate until all their demands are met. This decision follows assurances from West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant regarding safety and security measures for medical staff.
The junior doctors had refused to resume work despite a Supreme Court order, demanding concrete actions from the government. A meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and government officials on Monday led to an agreement on several key issues, but lingering skepticism remains among the medical community regarding the government’s commitment to fulfilling their requests.
Doctors’ Key Demands
The junior doctors presented five main demands to the state authorities:
- Infrastructure Development: The government has agreed to allocate ₹100 crore for enhancing hospital infrastructure and rebuilding patient welfare committees.
- Formation of a Special Task Force: A task force, led by the chief secretary and including the police commissioner and junior doctors’ representatives, is to be established.
- Grievance Redressal Mechanism: The introduction of a comprehensive grievance redressal system across hospitals and medical colleges is part of the agreements reached.
- Removal of Key Officials: The doctors demanded the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and Deputy Commissioner (North) Abhishek Gupta due to alleged mishandling of cases. Both officials have since been replaced.
- Leadership Changes in Health Services: Calls were made for the removal of the Director of Health Services (DHS) and the Director of Medical Education (DME), who have also been dismissed from their positions.
While the police commissioner and health officials have been replaced, the formation of the promised task force and the implementation of a robust grievance redressal system have yet to materialize, leading to continued distrust among the doctors.
Continued Protests
Despite the temporary suspension of the strike, junior doctors have decided not to participate in the Outpatient Department (OPD) services but will remain available for emergency and essential care. They maintain that without tangible action from the government, their protests will persist.
The junior doctors’ movement, which gained traction amid rising tensions over safety and security concerns, has sparked significant public interest and support for the medical professionals fighting for better working conditions.
As the situation develops, both the government and the medical community are under pressure to ensure that the commitments made are followed through, addressing the concerns that have fueled these protests for over a month.
Sources By Agencies