West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a direct appeal to protesting junior doctors on Saturday, urging them to end their hunger strike and assuring them that most of their demands had been addressed, with ongoing efforts to resolve the remaining issues. The doctors, who have been on a fast-unto-death since October 5 in Kolkata’s Esplanade area, had issued an ultimatum to the state government, threatening a state-wide strike in both government and private hospitals if their demands were not met by Monday.
In her phone call to the doctors, Banerjee stressed that while they had the right to protest, it should not disrupt healthcare services. She also stated that she would meet the doctors in person on Monday to further discuss their concerns. However, she ruled out the removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam, one of the doctors’ key demands.
The junior doctors began their protests after the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Their demands include bolstering security at hospitals, installing CCTV cameras, conducting elections in hospitals and medical colleges, and the removal of the health secretary. Banerjee emphasized that most of these issues had been resolved and asked for additional time to implement the remaining measures, including the election process.
The outreach efforts included visits from West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty to the protest site earlier in the day. Banerjee reassured the doctors that their demands were being addressed and urged them to call off their hunger strike, noting that the situation was impacting the healthcare system.
“I appeal to you to withdraw your hunger strike and rejoin work. Then we can sit and discuss the remaining issues. Poor people are now relying on private hospitals under the Swasthya Sathi insurance scheme, and private hospitals have seen a 40% rise in earnings,” Banerjee said.
Despite her outreach, some junior doctors maintained their stance, insisting that all demands must be met. The situation remains tense, with the threat of a strike looming if the doctors’ conditions are not fulfilled by the Monday deadline.
Sources By Agencies
