RG Kar case: Junior doctors to partially lift ‘cease work’ from Saturday

Medics announce setting up of Abhaya medical camps, in memory of the brutally murdered RG Kar trainee doctor, at flood-affected regions of State

Kolkata: Ending the logjam persisting for the last 41 days, agitating junior doctors announced the withdrawal of their sit-in before Swasthya Bhawan and partial resumption of duties entailing the attending essential services in state-run hospitals from Saturday.

The medics also announced setting up of Abhaya medical camps, in memory of the brutally murdered RG Kar trainee doctor, at flood-affected regions of the state from Friday.

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To mark the withdrawal of their 10-day dharna before Swasthya Bhawan, the stirring doctors gave a call to march to the CBI office at the CGO Complex in Salt Lake at 3 pm on Friday seeking justice for the RG Kar victim and a quick wrap up of investigations.

“Given the flood situation in West Bengal and the State government agreeing to certain demands of ours, we will be rejoining emergency and essential services partially from Saturday,” an agitating doctor said on Thursday after their general body meeting.

The protesting doctors said they would not work in the Outpatient Department (OPD) but would partially work in emergency and essential services. “We will wait for a week for the West Bengal government to implement all its promises and if unfulfilled, we will resume ‘cease work’,” the doctors said.

The announcements came shortly after Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, following up on issues discussed in Wednesday’s meeting between the agitating junior doctors and the state task force, issued a list of directives on the safety, security and conducive environment for healthcare professionals, saying those orders need to be implemented immediately.

“The directives issued today reflects partial acceptance of our demands in terms of ensuring safety and security at campuses. We consider that a limited victory given that previously the State also acceded to our demands of removing the Kolkata Police Commissioner and senior health department officials.”

“The arrests of ex-RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh and Tala PS OC were also shots in the arm of our movement. We will, hence, end our stir here and return to essential services. But our fight is far from over,” said Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating doctors.