After 30 days, junior docs at RG Kar Hosp withdraw agitation

kolkata: The agitation and hunger strike staged by a section of junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was finally called off after 30 days on Thursday, bringing relief to the Health department.

A majority of the interns and postgraduate trainees (PGTs) had already resumed work last month following the request of the health officials.

Only a handful of junior doctors preferred to continue with the hunger strike despite repeated pleas made by the state government.

The agitating junior doctors held a meeting on Wednesday and decided to withdraw their movement.

They have, however, threatened to organise bigger movements with the help of other medical college students to meet their demands.

State Health officials had urged the agitating junior doctors on repeated occasions to withdraw the protest. A PIL was filed at Calcutta High Court against the hunger strike of the doctors.

The Court had also directed the junior doctors to withdraw the strike. In October, RG Kar Medical College authorities had issued a notification making it mandatory for all the MBBS students to ensure 75 per cent attendance in theoretical classes and 80 per cent attendance in practical class.

The decision of the RG Kar Medical College authorities also put pressure on the agitating students to call off their hunger strike and join duty.

Most of the PGTs and junior doctors resumed duty in the third week of October except a few interns who

chose to continue the hunger strike.

Most of their demands were met by the Health department except removal of principal Dr Sandip Ghosh. Earlier, senior Health officials had directed all the department heads of RG Kar to ensure that health services were not hampered.