Protesting junior doctors called the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and other health officials a “partial victory” for their movement.
In the Kolkata rape-murder case, following the West Bengal government’s appointment of a new police commissioner for Kolkata and the removal of two senior health department officials, the protesting junior doctors described their movement as a “partial victory” on Wednesday. They have requested another meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, according to news agency PTI.
The doctors announced they will maintain their cease-work strike until their demands are fully addressed by the state government. These decisions followed a general body meeting to determine the next steps after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that her government had accepted “99%” of the junior doctors’ demands. She also urged them to return to work, citing the strain on the state’s medical infrastructure.
The meeting decided to send another email to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant requesting a new meeting with the Chief Minister to discuss additional demands.
In addition to the removal of former Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, the doctors also called for the removal of State Health Secretary NS Nigam. They claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had assured them on Monday that Nigam would be removed.
The doctors expressed their desire to discuss the measures announced for enhancing safety and security within hospitals. They also seek a detailed plan on how the state intends to utilize the promised ₹100 crore to improve doctors’ safety in state-run hospitals.
The statement issued after the general body meeting emphasized that no effective security measures can be implemented without a comprehensive overhaul of the public healthcare system. This includes streamlining the referral system, appointing health workers and professional patient counselors, addressing admission corruption, and ensuring the availability of life-saving medications.
The meeting also called for the immediate notification of the chief secretary-led task force in medical colleges, as promised during Monday’s meeting at Chief Minister Banerjee’s residence. Additionally, they demanded that student body elections be conducted and that junior doctors receive adequate representation in the highest policy-making bodies of those institutions.
