Junior Doctors in West Bengal Press for Unmet Demands

Junior doctors from West Bengal sent an email to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant highlighting unmet demands from a September 18 meeting. They urged the formation of inquiry committees to address threat culture and demanded action within seven days. Their strike had started in protest against the rape and murder of a colleague.

Junior doctors in West Bengal have escalated their calls for action by emailing Chief Secretary Manoj Pant about unmet demands from a meeting held on September 18. Despite partially resuming duties after a 42-day strike, the doctors emphasized that their key demands had not yet been addressed. The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Forum (WBJDF) stated in their two-page letter, 'No action has been taken/no order has been passed regarding some important demands agreed upon by both parties.'

The junior doctors reiterated the need for a central inquiry committee to investigate the 'threat culture' in medical colleges across the state. They also called for college-level inquiry committees that include students and resident doctors to identify those fostering this environment. Additionally, they demanded a state-level inquiry committee to probe the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) and West Bengal Health Recruitment Board (WBHRB) within seven working days.

The WBJDF also requested the establishment of a college-level task force or monitoring committee in every medical college and hospital, alongside implementing a transparent transfer policy for medical personnel. The junior doctors had resumed duties on September 21 after a prolonged strike triggered by the rape and murder of a female colleague at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

(With inputs from agencies.)