NEW DELHI: Junior doctors in Kolkata have called off their strike after 41 days and announced their decision to return to duty from Saturday. According to the doctors, emergency services will resume, but outpatient department (OPD) services will remain suspended.
The decision was made on Thursday following a general body meeting of the protesting doctors.They plan to march from Swasthya Bhavan to CGO on Friday to conclude their siege and are set to return to work on Saturday.
“On the 41st day of the protest, West Bengal Junior Doctors Front wants to say that we achieved a lot during our agitation, but many things remain unachieved. We made the Kolkata commissioner of Police resign and the DME, DHS resign. But this doesn’t mean the agitation is over. We will take it forward in a new way. We have received a directive from Nabanna after our meeting with the Chief Secretary yesterday,” Doctors’ representative Dr Aqeeb said.
We have received a directive from Nabanna after our meeting with the Chief Secretary yesterday. In the directive, we have been assured that safety and security implementations will be made, but it has not been specified when… Threat culture has claimed the life of ‘Abhaya’. We still demand that the principal secretary be removed and action be taken on threat culture… Tomorrow we are organising a rally from Swasthya Bhawan to the CGO complex and end our protest. We will keep a close watch on the administration after we resume our duties,” he added.
The protesting doctors said that they will keep a close watch on the Supreme Court hearing and on the steps taken by the government and would return to strike if they found anything out of place.
“If we find anything out of place, we will come back stronger. We are returning to work on Saturday and resume essential services. OPD and OT services will remain suspended because we want to ensure that measures are taken to ensure the security of female colleagues. Our agitation will continue. Justice for Abhaya will always be our priority and our eyes are on the Supreme Court hearing and on the steps taken by the government,” Dr Aqeel said.
The decision comes days after chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with the protesting junior doctors, after which she announced that most of their demands had been met, including the removal of Kolkata CP Vineet Kumar Goyal and certain officials from the health department.
“Given the demand of junior doctors, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal has said in the meeting that he is ready to resign,” said Mamata Banerjee while addressing the protesting doctors on Tuesday.
The government had been urging the medics to withdraw their ‘cease work,’ which has been ongoing since August 9, when the body of a trainee doctor was found at the hospital.
The incident on August 9 involved the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. It led to the arrest of a Kolkata Police civic volunteer and sparked widespread protests by doctors and citizens.
The Calcutta high court subsequently directed the CBI to investigate both the murder and financial irregularities at the institution.
The decision was made on Thursday following a general body meeting of the protesting doctors.They plan to march from Swasthya Bhavan to CGO on Friday to conclude their siege and are set to return to work on Saturday.
“On the 41st day of the protest, West Bengal Junior Doctors Front wants to say that we achieved a lot during our agitation, but many things remain unachieved. We made the Kolkata commissioner of Police resign and the DME, DHS resign. But this doesn’t mean the agitation is over. We will take it forward in a new way. We have received a directive from Nabanna after our meeting with the Chief Secretary yesterday,” Doctors’ representative Dr Aqeeb said.
We have received a directive from Nabanna after our meeting with the Chief Secretary yesterday. In the directive, we have been assured that safety and security implementations will be made, but it has not been specified when… Threat culture has claimed the life of ‘Abhaya’. We still demand that the principal secretary be removed and action be taken on threat culture… Tomorrow we are organising a rally from Swasthya Bhawan to the CGO complex and end our protest. We will keep a close watch on the administration after we resume our duties,” he added.
The protesting doctors said that they will keep a close watch on the Supreme Court hearing and on the steps taken by the government and would return to strike if they found anything out of place.
“If we find anything out of place, we will come back stronger. We are returning to work on Saturday and resume essential services. OPD and OT services will remain suspended because we want to ensure that measures are taken to ensure the security of female colleagues. Our agitation will continue. Justice for Abhaya will always be our priority and our eyes are on the Supreme Court hearing and on the steps taken by the government,” Dr Aqeel said.
The decision comes days after chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with the protesting junior doctors, after which she announced that most of their demands had been met, including the removal of Kolkata CP Vineet Kumar Goyal and certain officials from the health department.
“Given the demand of junior doctors, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal has said in the meeting that he is ready to resign,” said Mamata Banerjee while addressing the protesting doctors on Tuesday.
The government had been urging the medics to withdraw their ‘cease work,’ which has been ongoing since August 9, when the body of a trainee doctor was found at the hospital.
The incident on August 9 involved the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. It led to the arrest of a Kolkata Police civic volunteer and sparked widespread protests by doctors and citizens.
The Calcutta high court subsequently directed the CBI to investigate both the murder and financial irregularities at the institution.
