Junior docs’ strike: Over 7K scheduled surgeries held up

Kolkata: With more than 7,000 scheduled surgeries having been held up due to the cease work of junior doctors across the 26 government-run medical colleges in the state, the Health department is in a desperate bid to

restore normalcy.

The main objective of the Health department is to put in place adequate security arrangements as demanded by the agitating junior doctors.

According to Health department data, around 400 elective surgeries used to take place daily at the medical colleges on an average basis, but the figure has dropped below 100 since the cease-work began. Many elective surgeries had to be cancelled because of a shortage of doctors.

Lakhs of patients had been denied treatment at the OPDs in several government medical college hospitals since August 9 when a postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College. The Junior doctors have been on a cease work since the incident happened.

“Many patients were found to have left government medical colleges while some of them stepped into other private facilities. Patients were preferring not to visit the OPDs of the state-run hospitals,” sources in a city’s medical college said.

Health department has been in the process of installing around 7,000 additional CCTV in 26-medical colleges, setting up of 900 rest rooms to overcome the impasse. The state health department has fulfilled almost all the demands of the junior doctors. Even the former Principal of RG Kar Medical College Dr Sandip Ghosh was suspended by the health department on Tuesday following his arrest by the CBI.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Assembly on Tuesday said that her government has sanctioned Rs 100 crore for the development of infrastructure in state run hospitals. She told the House that she has already given necessary directions to the health secretary on how the security issues of government hospitals can be enhanced. Following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s instruction, the state health department initiated a major revamp in security measures in 26 government medical colleges across the state and other government hospitals.

The state government has given major emphasis on installing more high-resolution cameras in hospitals, adequate high mast lights, security arrangements, restrooms for doctors and nurses, more toilets and arrangements of drinking water. Sources said that the state government has already allotted Rs 40 crore in the first phase for carrying out infrastructure revamp in hospitals as well as the enhancement of security.