Positive Progress: West Bengal Government and Junior Doctors Move Closer to Resolution

The second round of talks between West Bengal government officials and agitating junior doctors over the RG Kar Medical College issue concluded positively. The state government agreed to seven out of eight demands about hospital safety and security. However, the demand for action against Health Secretary N S Nigam was rejected.

The second round of talks between agitating junior doctors and officials of the West Bengal government to resolve the RG Kar issue ended on a 'positive note' on Wednesday night after the latter agreed to implement seven of the eight demands put forward by the protestors concerning the safety and security of medics at state-run hospitals, officials said.

The state government, however, refused to accept the demand to initiate departmental proceedings against Health Secretary N S Nigam, which the stirring medics insisted upon in the wake of the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, they said.

Allegations of widespread corruption at government healthcare facilities and arm-twisting practices on students and trainee doctors compromising their safety and security on campuses by a section of power corridor personnel at state-run hospitals have also subsequently come to light, intensifying the clamour for action against the health secretary.

It wasn't immediately clear whether, based on the meeting's outcome, the stirring junior doctors would end their ongoing 'cease work' and resume duties.

The meeting between Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and a delegation of 30 junior doctors started at the state secretariat, Nabanna, around 7.30 pm, an hour after the scheduled time fixed by the state, and lasted for over two hours, sources said.

The protesting medics were again accompanied by stenographers to record the minutes of the meeting. On Monday, during the meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence, the agitators were accompanied by stenographers as well.

'We want the issue of safety and security in hospitals to be addressed. The chief minister had announced the formation of a task force, but there is no proper clarity on it. We want the state government to accept our legitimate demands,' an agitating doctor said before leaving for the meeting venue.

The West Bengal government on Wednesday invited the junior doctors agitating over the RG Kar rape-murder incident for a meeting at the state secretariat at 6.30 pm, responding to their request for a fresh round of talks.

This was the second round of talks between the medics and the state government in 48 hours.

(With inputs from agencies.)