RG Kar: Junior doctors to distribute leaflets at Kolkata Puja pandals outlining their demands

Kolkata: Agitating junior doctors will distribute leaflets outlining their demands for justice for their murdered colleague at various Durga Puja pandals across the city on Wednesday besides holding a blood donation camp, one of the agitating medics said.

"Tomorrow we will hold a blood donation camp and distribute leaflets at various puja pandals, highlighting our demands. The mass resignation of our senior doctors earlier during the day has boosted our confidence, but we believe that the West Bengal government is exerting pressure on them," junior medic Debasish Halder said on Tuesday night.

Seven junior doctors have been on a fast-unto-death since Saturday night, supported by several senior colleagues who joined them in solidarity.

Earlier during the day, more than 50 doctors at RG Kar hospital tendered mass resignations to back the junior doctors' cause.

However, the state government claimed it had not received any such resignation letters.

"The state cannot remain silent. They must engage in discussions to resolve this impasse. If anything happens to these young doctors fasting for a noble cause, the state will be held accountable," said Dr Hiralal Konar.

On Tuesday evening, junior and senior doctors staged two rallies in support of their fasting colleagues, with senior doctors from various medical colleges participating.

One rally began at Kolkata Medical College and the other at SSKM Hospital, both concluding at Esplanade where the fasting doctors continue their protest.

Meanwhile, senior medics at SSKM Hospital threatened to submit mass resignations if the state government does not address the junior doctors' demands.

The junior doctors have emphasised that securing justice for the deceased woman medic remains their primary focus. Their other demands include the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam, accountability for administrative failures, and measures to combat corruption within the department.

Additional demands include establishing a centralised referral system for hospitals, implementing a bed vacancy monitoring system, ensuring proper facilities at workplaces, and increasing police protection in hospitals.

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 began their protest following the rape-murder of a fellow medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. They concluded their stir after 42 days on September 21, following assurances from the state government to address their demands.

The medics, however, renewed their 'cease work' on October 1 after an attack on them by a patient's family at the state-run College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital the previous week and launched the 'fast-unto-death' agitation on Saturday after the state government failed to fulfill their demands.