The junior doctors in West Bengal partially resumed duties at government-run hospitals on Saturday after a 42-day hiatus. The doctors had been on a ‘cease work’ agitation protesting the rape and murder of an on-duty woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
While the junior doctors returned to essential and emergency services across state hospitals, they did not rejoin outpatient department (OPD) duties.
“We have started rejoining duties today in essential and emergency services, but not in OPDs. This is only a partial resumption of duties,” said Aniket Mahato, one of the protesting doctors.
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Some of the doctors have also left for flood-affected districts to set up ‘Abhaya clinics’ (medical camps), demonstrating their commitment to public health despite ongoing protests.
The junior doctors announced they would give the administration seven more days to meet their demands, which include justice for the deceased doctor and the removal of the state health secretary. Failure to do so would prompt another round of ‘cease work.’
The protests, which began on August 9 after the discovery of the woman doctor’s body, have focused on seeking justice and calling for the removal of key officials believed to be involved in the case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested several individuals, including the former principal of RG Kar Hospital, as part of its investigation.
