The ongoing agitation has also led the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) to warn that it would declare a nationwide ‘complete shutdown of medical services’ if ‘any harm befalls brave junior doctors’.
Kolkata: Junior doctors in West Bengal continued their indefinite hunger strike for the sixth consecutive day, drawing support from several senior doctors across the country and prompting the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to urge Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene before the situation escalates.
The ongoing agitation has also led the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) to warn that it would declare a nationwide “complete shutdown of medical services” if “any harm befalls brave junior doctors”.
The agitating doctors are demanding justice for their murdered colleague at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, along with a safer working environment and other important issues.
After visiting another junior medic admitted to RG Kar hospital, he expressed his admiration for the protesters, stating, “I am touched by the way these children are fighting for the cause of the people and not for themselves. They are the real heroes, and we are all very proud of them.” Asokan called on the CM to address the situation “without wasting any more time.” He noted that while the junior doctors did not discuss ending their fast, they remained focused on their demands and confident in their pursuit of justice for their late colleague.
“They did not talk much about withdrawing the fast but focused on their demands and the indifferent attitude of the state government towards their movement. They are quite confident about carrying forward their protest and get justice for the deceased woman doctor,” he said.
In a show of solidarity, the junior doctors encouraged the public to observe “Arandhan” (no cooking) on Ekadashi, coinciding with the completion of their seven-day fast. “When our freedom fighters were on hunger strike, the common people observed ‘Arandhan’ in their support,” one doctor explained.
In response to the protesting doctors’ recent mail, chief secretary Manoj Pant provided a status report on various healthcare initiatives in West Bengal, outlining extensive safety improvements being implemented, including the installation of over 7,000 CCTVs, new duty rooms, and better facilities across medical colleges.