Junior docs threaten ‘total strike’ from Tue if all 10 demands not met

Kolkata: The junior doctors on Friday, following a meeting with their seniors, announced that unless Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accepts and fulfills their 10-point demands by Monday, they will be forced to go on a full-scale strike from Tuesday. Their fast-unto-death entered its 14th day on Friday.

The state had earlier stated that 7 out of the 10 demands of the junior doctors have been met.

Junior doctor Debashis Halder said: “We are giving a deadline till Monday. The Chief Minister has to negotiate and accept all our demands. If not, then from next Tuesday all senior and junior doctors’ organisations will be forced to go on full strike in the health sector in public and private hospitals.”

The junior doctors have been protesting for more than two months demanding justice for their colleague who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

Following the incident, they demanded an overhaul of the health sector in the state that would seek to ensure the safety and security of the doctors on duty.However, they are apparently disappointed with the response of the state government which, according to them, is nothing short of just “silence” and “ignorance”.

One of the lady junior doctors said it was shocking to see the Chief Minister involving herself in Puja festivities when the doctors are on a hunger strike day after day in the hope that the state will fulfil their legitimate demands.

Six junior doctors have already fallen ill during the ongoing hunger strike. Five had to be hospitalised.

Junior doctors have placed the following 10 demands before the government: justice for the victim, removal of state Health secretary, a centralised referral system, digital bed vacancy monitors in all hospitals, task forces in every medical colleges with elected representatives of junior doctors, deployment of police in hospitals, filling up of vacancies in hospitals, holding election of student councils, college-level enquiry committees to probe into allegations of threat culture and probe into the alleged corruption in the state medical council.The junior doctors went on a ‘cease-work’ following the rape-murder of a fellow medic on August 9. They ended their stir after 42 days on September 21 following assurances from the state government to look into their demands.