Doctors' protest: Union Health Min seeks Mamata's intervention, says country 'adversely affected'

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging her to "personally intervene" to resolve the woes of agitating doctors in the state.

"I take this opportunity to urge upon you to personally intervene in resolving the current impasse and taking steps to provide a secure working environment to doctors in the state of West Bengal. The entire country is being adversely affected due to developments in West Bengal and therefore ensuring an amicable end to the agitation will be beneficial and is strongly warranted. The Government of India is with you in this endeavour and is hilly willing to provide any assistance you may need in this regard," the Union Minister said in his letter to Mamata.

"It is our duty to provide good working conditions and a secure environment for them. Strong action against any person who assaults them must be ensured by the law enforcement agencies. At the same time, doctors must also be oriented towards treating patients with courtesy and exhibiting compassion in their interactions," he added.

After observing the entire situation, Harsh Vardhan said the agitation by doctors in West Bengal is not heading towards a resolution but seems to be getting "aggravated".

"It is a matter of concern that the agitation by doctors in West Bengal is not heading towards resolution, but seems to be getting aggravated. Better communication with doctors and a compassionate approach to take care of the genuine problems being faced by them in day to day functioning would definitely be helpful in tiding over the crisis which has been created," he noted.

On Thursday, Mamata had asked agitating junior doctors in West Bengal to resume work within four hours. However, the agitators refused to pay heed and continued protesting against incidences of violence.

Various medical bodies have called a strike across the country to protest the rising violence against the medical fraternity after a junior doctor of Nil Ratan Sarkar (NRS) Medical College and Hospital was allegedly attacked by the relatives of a patient who died on June 10.