The protests have now garnered support from doctors in Delhi, Mumbai and Pune who also joined the strikes today. In Delhi, resident doctors of AIIMS, Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) and Safdarjung Hospital will be on strike. Several doctors at AIIMS worked with bandages on their heads and arms as a symbolic protest on Thursday. The Delhi Medical Association has called for a strike too demanding strict action against the accused, while doctors from government hospitals took out a candlelight march at Jantar Mantar yesterday.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday asked doctors at Nil Ratan Sircar (NRS) Medical College in Kolkata to stop their protest and resume work or face action. “I saw people waiting for treatment outside the hospital today, some of them were really critical. This is shameful and I condemn the unlawful protest,” Banerjee, the Health Minister of Bengal said. The doctors are on a “cease-work” agitation after their colleagues were allegedly assaulted by a patient’s family.
Mamata invites agitating doctors for meeting at state secretariat tomorrow to resolve impasse. But the medicos refused the offer.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Friday condemned the Mamata Banerjee-led government’s approach to the ongoing doctors’ protests in West Bengal and accused it of “escalating the issue instead of solving it”. “Hospitals are not war zones. Security has become a major issue. Instead of resolving the issue, the government is escalating it,” IMA General Secretary Dr R V Asokan told indianexpress.com. Read more...
Doctors of three state-run hospitals across Jharkhand staged demonstrations wearing black badges on Friday to express solidarity to the striking junior medicos of West Bengal, an official of a doctors' association said here Doctors of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science here, the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Medical College an Hospital at Jamshedpur and the Patliputra Medical College Hospital in Dhanbad took part in the demonstration, he said.
Called up Mamata Banerjee to discuss doctors' strike issue, got no response, said West Bengal governor.
Five senior doctors met Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee today at Nabanna to discuss about the ongoing protest.
Junior doctors at government hospitals attached to medical colleges in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior and Rewa abstained from work for half a day on Friday to express solidarity with their counterparts in West Bengal.
The protest affected the health services in these hospitals.
The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) Friday extended its full support to the protesting doctors in West Bengal even as it asserted that medical facilities and number of doctors need to be augmented to address issues related to patients.
Scores of doctors under the umbrella of the DMA also held a dharna in front of its office in Daryaganj and later marched to Rajghat.
"We do not believe in violence, and that is why we marched to the samadhi of Gandhiji this afternoon and paid tribute to him. He taught us to resolve every issue amicably with non-violent measures. So, family members of patients should not resort to violence," DMA president Dr Girish Tyagi told reporters. "If people have grievances against a doctor, they can approach a relevant forum or a court but assaulting doctors can never be accepted," he added. (PTI)
Resident doctors from 14 government hospitals across Delhi will observe strike tomorrow.
In the wake of protests by doctors in West Bengal against assault on their colleagues, a plea was filed in the Supreme Court Friday seeking to ensure safety and security of doctors in government hospitals across the country. The petition sought directions to Union ministries of home affairs and health as also West Bengal to depute government-appointed security personnel at all government hospitals across the country to ensuring safety and security of the doctors.
Due to protests, the healthcare services in the country have been badly disrupted and many people are dying because of the absence of the doctors, it said. (PTI)
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury Friday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of politicising the issue of doctors' agitation and the BJP of communalising it.
Over 100 senior doctors of various state-run hospitals across West Bengal resigned from their services Friday amid the ongoing agitation by the medical fraternity against the violence at NRS Medical College and Hospital. The doctors, including heads of departments of medical colleges and other hospitals in Kolkata, Burdwan, Darjeeling and North 24 Parganas districts, sent their resignation letters to the state director of medical education, a senior health department official told PTI.
"We express fullest solidarity to the current movement of NRS Medical College and Hosptial and other government hospitals agitating to protest the brutal attack on them while on duty," Dr P Kundu, director of the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, said in the resignation letter.
Agitating doctors Friday demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's unconditional apology and set six conditions for the state government to withdraw their four-day-long stir that disrupted healthcare services across West Bengal. We want unconditional apology of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the manner in which she had addressed us at the SSKM Hospital yesterday. She should not have said what she had," a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, Dr Arindam Dutta, said.
Listing the six conditions, the agitators said the chief minister will have to visit the injured doctors at the hospital and her office should release a statement condemning the attack on them. "We also want immediate intervention of the chief minister. Documentary evidence of judicial enquiry against the inactivity of the police to provide protection to the doctors at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital on Monday night should also be provided," he said. (PTI)
Union Health Minister writes to Bengal CM, requests her to resolve issue at the earliest.
Doctors at the SMS government hospital here wore black bands and helmets to express solidarity with their protesting colleagues in West Bengal. Indian Medical Association's (IMA) state general secretary Dr V K Jain said resident doctors were seen wearing black bands and helmets while discharging their duties in outdoor unit of the SMS hospital here. Jain said doctors in other districts of the state also took part in the token protest. (PTI)
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) launched a three-day nationwide protest from Friday to express solidarity with the doctors agitating against the attack on their colleagues in West Bengal and called for a strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services.
The apex body of doctors in the country also renewed its demand for a central law to check violence against health care workers in hospitals and said it should have a provision for a minimum of seven-year jail sentence to violaters.
"IMA condemns the recent incident of violence against Dr Paribaha Mukherjee who was brutally attacked by a violent mob at NRS Medical College, Kolkata and demands an exemplary action by the state government. All the legitimate demands of the resident doctors in West Bengal should be accepted unconditionally," RV Asokan, Secretary General of IMA, said. (PTI)
Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare Friday appealed to the Bengal government to act speedily to acknowledge the concerns of the junior doctors, to take stern action against the perpetrators of this heinous crime and take measures to provide a safe working environment for all doctors to enable them to carry out their duties without apprehension or fear.
In a press release, the association said, "In wake of the increasing violence against doctors and other healthcare workers across the country, we also urge the government to acknowledge the gravity of this crisis and take proactive and comprehensive steps to ensure the safety of the medical community by long- term investment in medical infrastructure, human resources and implementation of system reforms that ensure transparency in treatment and billing and effective grievance redressal mechanisms. These will go a long way in mitigating the deficit in the doctor patient relationship."
Delhi Medical Association on 'total medical bandh' to protest against assault on doctor in NRS Medical College, Kolkata.
People have to talk in Bengali if they want to live in Bengal, warns Mamata Banerjee; reiterates outsiders involved in hospital protests. (PTI)
Scores of doctors at several government and private hospitals in Delhi held demonstrations on Friday by boycotting work, marching and raising slogans to express solidarity with their protesting colleagues in Kolkata. A group of doctors also met Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and apprised him about the medical fraternity’s demand of ensuring safety and security of doctors in face of any violence in hospital premises. Read full story
The Calcutta High Court Friday refused to pass an interim order on the ongoing strike by juniors doctors across hospitals in West Bengal. The court, which was hearing a PIL filed by doctor Kunal Saha seeking the strike to be declared illegal, has sought details of the steps taken the Mamata Banerjee-led government over the alleged attacks on doctors. It has given the government time till June 21. A division bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice Suvra Ghosh asked the state government to persuade the striking doctors to resume work and provide usual services to patients.
Read | Calcutta HC asks state govt to persuade doctors to work
"AIIMS RDA was assured by Dr Harsh Vardhan that he will pursue the matter with CM Mamta Banerjee to safeguard NRSMCH doctors. He will be writing to heads of all states to convene a meeting for a more permanent legislative solution to safeguard doctors security all over India."
“About 69 senior doctors have resigned unanimously following the indifferent attitude of the Chief Minister in providing security to junior doctors. She has made us a scapegoat in front of the people. This has occurred because of the failure of the CM in tackling of the situation,” said a senior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital showing a list of names of doctors who have resigned.
Read | West Bengal crisis deepens, mass resignation of doctors from state-run hospitals
Doctors under the banner of the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) held out marches in the AIIMS campus, with many wearing bandages on their foreheads. The resident doctors' associations of the Maulana Azad Medical College and associated hospitals have also joined the protest. Healthcare services at private and government hospitals in the national capital are likely to be affected on Friday as scores of doctors began the boycott for a day.
(Express photo Shashi Ghosh)
Even as the emergency ward opened at NRS Medical College and Hospital, about 85 doctors from R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital and over hundred others from other state-run medical facilities have tendered their mass resignation expressing solidarity with protesting junior doctors at NRS. The development comes a day after NRS Medical College and Hospital principal, professor Saibal Mukherjee, and Medical Superintendent and Vice Principal Sourav Chatterjee tendered their resignation. "About 69 senior doctors have resigned unanimously following the indifferent attitude of the chief minister in providing security to junior doctors. She has made us a scapegoat in front of the people. This has occurred because of the failure of the chief minister in tackling of the situation," said a senior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital showing a list of names of doctors who have resigned.
Calcutta HC refuses to pass interim order on strike by junior doctors in state-run hospitals, asks WB govt to persuade them to rejoin work.
Members of Resident Doctors' Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) continue to work wearing helmets, as a mark of protest against "worsening of violence against medical doctors in West Bengal."
16 doctors of the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata submit their resignation stating, "In response to the prevailing situation as we are unable to provide service, we would like to resign from our duty." Two doctors of North Bengal Medical College & Hospital, Darjeeling resign over violence against doctors in the state.
The AIIMS resident doctors met Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan requesting the Centre to intervene and stop the increasing violence against doctors in West Bengal. The association has asked the Minister to improve the security of doctors across the country.
Doctors hold protest in Bengaluru over violence against doctors in West Bengal.
State DME Prof Dr Pradip Kumar De had issued a directive on Thursday night to the principals and directors of all medical colleges to ensure the resumption of normal services immediately at outpatient and emergency departments. Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi had on Thursday appealed to junior doctors to rejoin their duties. A team of doctors had met the governor at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday and apprised him about the assaults on doctors allegedly by relatives of a patient who had died at the NRS medical college and hospital on Saturday night.
Resident Doctors Association of AIIMS meets Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan over violence against doctors in West Bengal.
Services were totally disrupted in outdoor facilities and other departments of state-run medical colleges and hospitals and a number of private medical facilities. The spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, Dr Arindam Dutta, told PTI that demonstrations will continue till their demands are met. "The manner in which the chief minister threatened the junior doctors is quite unexpected... This is an insult to our community. We also condemn this... She has to apologise for what she said yesterday. "We are not outsiders and this agitation is spontaneous... We are contemplating mass resignations," Dutta said. (PTI)
Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan on doctors' nationwide strike over violence against doctors in West Bengal: I'd like to assure all doctors that Govt is committed towards their safety. I appeal to doctors to hold symbolic protests only & continue to carry out their duties.
Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan on doctors' nationwide strike over violence against doctors in West Bengal: I'd like to assure all doctors that Govt is committed towards their safety. I appeal to doctors to hold symbolic protests only & continue to carry out their duties.
(Express Photo)
Doctors at Jaipuria hospital carry out their duties wearing black bands as a mark of protest over violence against doctors in West Bengal.
An unfortunate incident took place in NRS Hospital 3 days ago. I sent my colleague, Chandrima Bhattacharjee, Minister-of-State, Health and Family Welfare to visit the injured doctor and talk to a section of the junior doctors who are agitating and request them to withdraw the agitation as people are not getting treatment. Cancer patients, kidney patients, accident victims, even children coming from distant places are suffering for not getting treatment. READ FULL POST HERE
Resident Doctors at Raipur's Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital raise slogans of 'We Want Justice' as they protest over violence against doctors in West Bengal.
Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of AIIMS is on strike today over violence against doctors in West Bengal.
West Bengal’s political turmoil is beginning to complicate other serious problems in the state. On Monday, angry relatives of a patient, who died in Kolkata’s Nilratan Sircar (NRS) Medical College, clashed with the institute’s junior doctors. The incident precipitated a doctors’ strike at NRS, which has now spilled over to all state-run medical college hospitals and at least six district hospitals in West Bengal and is spreading. On Wednesday, some of them pulled down the shutters on their emergency services. The matter pertains to the rights of patients and doctors, which are usually seen, in over-crowded under-equipped government hospitals, as antagonistic parties.
Editorial | The doctors have a reason to be angry
Extending support to residents doctors in Kolkata, who are protesting against an attack on two of their colleagues at NRS Medical College and Hospital, resident doctors of AIIMS, Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) and Safdarjung Hospital will be on strike Friday. On Thursday, several doctors at AIIMS worked with bandages on their heads and arms as a symbolic protest. The Delhi Medical Association has called for a strike Friday demanding strict action against the accused, while doctors from government hospitals took out a candlelight march at Jantar Mantar.
Read | Bengal protests reach Delhi, 3 hospitals face strike today
Battlelines hardened Thursday in the snowballing agitation by doctors across West Bengal with Chief Minister and Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee turning up the heat on them. And a medical student, daughter of Banerjee’s powerful colleague Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim going public with her “shame” as a Trinamool supporter at “the inaction and silence of our leaders”. Banerjee gave an ultimatum to agitating junior doctors saying that strong action would be taken against them if they do not get back to work promptly. But junior doctors and interns vowed to continue their “ceasework” until their demands for security were met.
Read | Mamata talks tough, her colleague’s daughter slams inaction
Good Morning,
Welcome to The Indian Express LIVE Blog. Join us as we track the developments taking place in West Bengal and across India as doctors continue protests demanding adequate security.