Junior doctors in various government hospitals in West Bengal started working partially on Saturday morning after 42 days. Junior doctors had stopped work in protest against the rape and murder of a female doctor on duty at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Today they started working in essential and emergency services in all government hospitals, but they have still not started working in the Out Patient Department (OPD).
Aniket Mahato, one of the protesting doctors, said, ‘We have started returning to work from today. Our colleagues have started returning to their respective departments in essential and emergency services only, but work has not started in OPD. Please do not forget that the doctors have only partially returned to work.’ He said that his other colleagues have already left for the flood-affected districts of the state, where they will start Abhaya clinics, showing their commitment to the health of the people even amidst the protests.
Warning from protesting doctors
The doctors said that they will wait for the next seven days for the administration to fulfill their demands of justice in this incident and removal of the state health secretary. If this does not happen, they will stop work again. The body of the female doctor was found on 9 August in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. These doctors have been protesting since then. They demand that the female doctor who lost her life in this incident should get justice. They have also accused the involvement of key officials in this case and demanded their removal from the post. The CBI has arrested many people including the former principal of RG Kar Hospital in connection with the investigation of the case.
