Enhance healthcare infra and security: 9-member state-level task force formed
Kolkata: The Bengal government, responding to the demands of junior doctors, issued a notification on Tuesday—just 24 hours after a meeting between the protesting doctors and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The notification announced the creation of a state-level task force, led by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, to oversee and evaluate the health infrastructure, as well as the security and safety of healthcare professionals in state-run medical colleges.
The 9-member state-level task force will consist of the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Health Secretary, DGP, Kolkata Police Commissioner, two representatives from senior resident doctors and junior resident doctors each, a member from the state redressal committee and a woman medical student. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her meeting with the junior doctors at Nabanna on Monday proposed to ensure a representation of the women doctors.
The task force members will also look into several aspects starting from the centralised helpline system, panic button system and implementation of the centralised referral system.
It will also monitor the activities of several committees within the medical colleges. The task force members will hold a meeting at least once a month. State government has already accepted most of the demands of the agitating junior doctors who have been carrying out protests since the RG Kar incident took place.
The issue of forming the task force was discussed in Monday’s meeting with the Chief Minister. The junior doctors who took part in the meeting had urged the government to issue directives to form a state-level task force.
One of the main objectives of the state-level task force would be to uplift the standard of health services in the state-run hospitals. The members of the task force will ensure that the doctors, nursing personnel and health workers get adequate security in their workplaces. The Chief Secretary during Monday’s meeting assured the junior doctors of including two junior doctors, 2 senior resident doctors and a female junior doctor in
the task force.
He had also stated that the SOP, terms of reference will be formed for smooth functioning of the hospitals by
Tuesday afternoon.
