In West Bengal, six junior physicians have declared they will go on a fast until they die because the state government has not complied with their demands for enhanced security measures in the wake of a female doctor being raped and killed at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College. The doctors demanded increased hospital security and gave the state administration a 24-hour ultimatum, which prompted this announcement. The protest is being held at Esplanade, where Parichay Panda, one of the protesting doctors, alleged that the government had failed to adopt safety measures despite past assurances.
The government’s passivity and refusal to hold talks has especially irritated the doctors. Panda said that the administration acknowledged to the Supreme Court that numerous safety measures were still pending and that only a small number had been put into place. He bemoaned the government’s failure to give priority to their demands and underlined the significance of hospital safety, particularly for medical professionals.
The protests began after a female doctor at RG Kar Medical College was raped and killed. Doctors from several hospitals in West Bengal have been participating in large-scale rallies in response to this horrific crime, calling for greater safety precautions and justice. As a form of protest, doctors from private hospitals in Kolkata lighted clay lamps at Ganga Ghat, while students and physicians from North Bengal Medical College and Hospital arranged a torchlight march in Siliguri.
The Supreme Court became involved in the matter after the event and demanded a report from the National Task Force about safety concerns. Previously, the Task Force was ordered by the court to create an action plan to combat gender-based violence and provide a secure workplace for medical professionals. The court voiced its displeasure with the West Bengal government’s sluggish progress in building restrooms, installing CCTV cameras, and putting biometric systems in hospitals during the most recent session. The government promised the court that work would be finished by mid-October, but it cited logistical delays brought on by floods.
Additionally, the victim’s identity was revealed in social media posts, a worrying trend that the Supreme Court addressed by ordering all platforms to take down any content that included her name or photos. Posts persist in spreading in defiance of these directives, further upsetting the victim’s relatives.
The junior doctors have committed to continue their protest until their demands are granted, underlining the need for quick action to safeguard the safety and security of healthcare professionals in West Bengal.
SOURCE :
ECONOMIC TIMES
