CM announces Rs 2 lakh for kin of 29 patients who died during docs’ strike

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced financial relief of Rs 2 lakh for family members of 29 persons who, according to her, died due to the cease work by junior doctors who have now demanded intervention of the President and the Prime Minister.

Banerjee wrote on X: “It is sad and unfortunate that we have lost 29 precious lives due to disruption in health services because of long drawn cease work by junior doctors. In order to extend a helping hand to the bereaved families, the State Government announces a token financial relief of Rs. 2 lakh to family members of each deceased person.”

On Thursday, after junior doctors declined to enter Nabanna for talks as the state refused permission for live streaming of the meeting, Banerjee said: “I tried thrice to hold talks with the junior doctors to end the RG Kar stalemate. I waited for two hours today (Thursday). Twenty-seven people have died and seven lakh patients are suffering due to the cease work but I will still not take any action against them. We, as elders, must forgive the young. We are hopeful that good sense will prevail and they will start discharging their duty of providing health services to the common people”. She added that she is against the imposition of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) or similar measures to curb protest rallies.

Banerjee also reasoned that live streaming could not be permitted as the matter is sub-judice since it is being heard before the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the agitating junior doctors in West Bengal wrote to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting their intervention in the RG Kar Hospital impasse. Copies of the four-page letter written by the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front were also sent to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union Health minister JP Nadda.

“We humbly place the issues before your esteemed excellency, as the head of state, so that our unfortunate colleague who has been the victim of the most despicable crime shall receive justice, and so that we, the healthcare professionals under the West Bengal Health department, may be able to discharge our duties to the public without fear and apprehension. Your intervention in these trying times will act as a beacon of light to us all, showing us the way ahead out of the darkness that surrounds us,” they wrote.