RG Kar impasse: Junior docs to end sit-in, partially lift ‘cease work’ agitation

PTI, Kolkata: Ending the logjam persisting for the last 41 days, agitating junior doctors announced the withdrawal of their sit-in before Swasthya Bhawan on Friday 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. 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.