Live
- BigBasket and Blinkit Race to Deliver iPhone 16 in Under 10 Minutes
- Amazon Great Indian Festival 2024: Best Printers to Buy Under Rs 20,000
- RG Kar scam: CBI gets clues of Sandip Ghosh illegally awarding contracts to biz entity
- Malvika Bansod loses to Akane Yamaguchi in China Open quarterfinals
- Natural farming team invited to Mexico
- Flood-hit urged to avail loan rescheduling
- 400 women’s cases resolved in AP: Women’s Commission
- Centre allocated Rs 250 cr under the SASI: Durgesh
- 12,000 new agri power connections given: Gottipati
- Rs 6,585 cr released to develop 7 national highways
Bengal Doctors End Protest, Resume Limited Duties Amid Flood Crisis
- Junior doctors in West Bengal partially return to work after 41-day strike over colleague's rape-murder, while maintaining demands for improved security measures.
- This decision comes as the state grapples with severe flooding in southern regions, making healthcare services a critical priority.
West Bengal's junior doctors have decided to partially resume their duties, ending a 41-day protest sparked by the rape and murder of a colleague at a Kolkata hospital. The doctors announced they would return to work on Saturday, but with conditions - they will not participate in outpatient services or elective surgeries until assured of the government's commitment to enhanced safety measures.
This decision comes as the state grapples with severe flooding in southern regions, making healthcare services a critical priority. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been personally overseeing flood relief efforts, while the Chief Secretary engaged with the protesting doctors to address their concerns.
The state government has largely acquiesced to the doctors' demands, issuing detailed instructions for improved security measures across medical institutions. These include installing CCTVs, deploying more security personnel (including women), implementing night surveillance, and establishing a central helpline with panic buttons.
However, the doctors emphasize that this is not the end of their campaign. They remain prepared to resume their strike if necessary and will continue their legal battle. The protesters plan to mark the end of this phase with a march to the Central Bureau of Investigation office.
The breakthrough in negotiations occurred earlier this week when the doctors met with Chief Minister Banerjee. In response, she immediately removed the Kolkata police chief and two senior health department officials. The doctors are still pushing for the health secretary's dismissal.
While the partial return to work is a positive development, especially given the flood situation, the doctors maintain that their fight for justice in the rape-murder case and improved overall security in healthcare facilities will continue. The state government's response to the protests, including accepting most demands, suggests a recognition of the seriousness of the issues raised by the medical community.
