Kolkata doctor rape-murder: Medics continue strike after failed talks with West Bengal govt

Junior doctors continue their `dharna` against the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder incident/ PTI

The junior doctors' demands for written minutes of the meeting were not fulfilled, therefore the second round of talks between them and West Bengal government representatives concluded without a settlement. Junior doctors have declared they will not stop their strike until the government gives them a copy of the undersigned minutes of the meeting. They are protesting safety concerns in state-run hospitals, reported PTI.

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Following the meeting on Wednesday, Dr Aniket Mahato, one of the doctors demonstrating, expressed displeasure saying, "While the talks went smoothly, the government refused to hand over signed and written minutes of the issues which were discussed. We are feeling let down and disappointed with the government's attitude."

Reportedly, he continued by saying that the doctors would email the government with their demands and wait for a response before determining what to do next. "We will send an email tomorrow detailing our demands based on which the government has assured it will issue directives. We will continue our agitation and take a call on it if and when those directives are issued," he said.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder: Second round of talks held at secretariat

The demonstration started in response to the Kolkata doctor rape-murder case at RG Kar Hospital, which has provoked public indignation and accusations of student bullying and corruption in state-run hospitals.

The government denied the junior doctors' request for an investigation into Health Secretary NS Nigam's actions. They expressed worries about hiring personnel, student representation in decision-making processes, safety, and openness in in-patient referral systems.

The most recent meeting lasted more than five hours and was conducted at the state secretariat in Nabanna.

"The government agreed that most of our demands were just and needed immediate implementation. But we were disappointed at the end of the talks when the chief secretary refused to give us a signed minutes of the meeting," a doctor said.

The doctors have promised to keep up their demonstration outside Swasthya Bhawan, the state health department headquarters, till their demands are fulfilled.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder: Abhishek Banerjee urges doctors to end 'cease-work'

Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee urged the junior doctors to put an end to their walkout and collaborate with the government to resolve the problems, stressing the importance of working together to put the agreed-upon safety measures into action.

"As a gesture of goodwill, the doctors should consider calling off the strike and work collaboratively with the West Bengal government to serve the needs of the people, and expedite the implementation of the task force's initiatives to ensure these changes are promptly executed," Banerjee said in a post on X.