Page 4 - Doctors Protests

Day before SC hearing on rape-murder, Kolkata CP visits R G Kar hospital

Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma on Sunday visited R G Kar Medical College and Hospital here, a day before the Supreme Court is to hear the rape-murder case of a post-graduate trainee doctor of the health facility. Sources said that Verma took stock of the security system at the hospital, spoke to the police personnel present there, and went to the emergency department. The police commissioner's visit comes a day before the rape-murder case comes up for hearing again before the Supreme Court on Monday. A mob attack at the hospital took place in the early hours of August 15, vandalising the emergency department of the government-run hospital, just a day after the Calcutta High Court had ordered the transfer of investigation into the rape-murder case to the CBI. The city police are investigating the vandalism at the hospital. Junior doctors, who resumed work after more than a month-long agitation seeking justice for their murdered colleague, said on Saturday night that they w

Bengal docs to resume 'ceasework' post SC hearing of RG Kar case on Monday

The medics alleged that the attack at Sagore Dutta Hospital have shown the state government has "totally failed" in keeping their promises to provide them security

Docs' cease work stir at WB hospital continues after patient kin's assault

Junior doctors and nurses continued their 'cease work' agitation at state-run Sagar Dutta Hospital in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Saturday in protest against assault on staffers by the relatives of a patient. The staffers of the hospital located in Kamarhati near Kolkata launched the 'cease work' protest late on Friday after some of them were allegedly beaten up by the relatives of the patient who died during treatment. Three junior doctors along with three nurses and healthcare workers were injured in the incident, a junior doctor said. The junior doctors and nurses subsequently called for a 'cease work' stir demanding better security arrangements. The condition of the patient, a middle-aged woman who suffered from acute breathing problems, was critical, he said. "The patient was admitted to the hospital on Friday with breathing difficulties. Her condition was not good and healthcare workers attempted to administer oxygen but it was too late and she died. But her

RG Kar case: Doctors resume duties partially at some hospitals in Bengal

Junior doctors on Saturday rejoined their duties partially at various government-run hospitals in West Bengal after a hiatus of 42 days. They were on 'cease work' in protest against the rape-murder of an on-duty woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. While they returned to essential and emergency services at all state-run hospitals, the doctors continued to refrain from working in the outpatient departments (OPDs). "We have started rejoining duties today. Our colleagues are returning to their respective departments for essential and emergency services, but not at the OPDs. This is only a partial resumption of duties," said Aniket Mahato, one of the protesting doctors. Aniket, along with colleagues Lahri Sarkar and Raktim Majumder, even operated on a woman patient at the hospital. He said some of their peers had already left for flood-hit areas of the state to set up 'Abhaya clinics' (medical camps), underscoring their commitment to public health despite ongoing ...

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RG Kar case: Junior docs resume duties partially in Bengal after 42 days

Junior doctors on Saturday morning rejoined their duties partially at various government-run hospitals in West Bengal after a hiatus of 42 days. They were on 'cease work' agitation in protest against the rape and murder of an on-duty woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The junior doctors rejoined their duties in essential and emergency services at all state-run hospitals but not in the outpatient department (OPD). "We have started rejoining duties today. Our colleagues have started returning to their respective departments since this morning only in essential and emergency services, but not at the OPDs. Please do not forget that this is only a partial resumption of duties," Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating doctors, told PTI. He said his other colleagues have already left for flood-hit districts of the state where they would start 'Abhaya clinics' (medical camps), to demonstrate their commitment to public health even amid ongoing protests. The agitating doctors

Bengal medics call off 'ceasework', to resume work partially from Saturday

Junior doctors agitating over the RG Kar incident called off their cease work' on Friday evening, announcing partial resumption of duties entailing attending essential services in state-run hospitals from Saturday. Ending the logjam persisting for 42 days, the medics withdrew the cease work' after holing a march to the CBI office in Salt Lake from the state health department's headquarters, where they had been demonstrating for over a week. The procession covered a distance of around 4 km from the Swasthya Bhawan' to the CGO Complex. The medics have said they would not work in the Outpatient Department (OPD), but partially function in emergency and essential services. The doctors had called the cease work' and staged the sit-in outside the state health department headquarters in the wake of the rape and murder of a young medic at RG Kar hospital.

Bengal junior docs to hold march to CBI office in Salt Lake today

The agitating junior doctors in West Bengal, who have announced withdrawal of their sit-in before Swasthya Bhavan, will hold a march to the CBI office in Salt Lake on Friday, seeking justice for the alleged rape and murder of a medic in the state-run RG Kar hospital last month. Ending the logjam persisting for the last 41 days, the junior doctors had on Thursday announced partial resumption of duties entailing the attending essential services in state-run hospitals from Saturday. To mark the withdrawal of their 10-day dharna near the state health department's headquarters, they will organise the procession from their protest site to the CGO Complex, a distance of around 4 km, demanding a quick wrap-up of investigations. The medics also announced setting up of Abhaya medical camps, in memory of the brutally murdered RG Kar post-graduate trainee doctor, in flood-affected regions of the state from Friday. "Given the flood situation in West Bengal and the state government agreeing to .

Ex-RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh's medical registration cancelled

The West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) on Thursday cancelled the registration of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital's former principal Sandip Ghosh, an official said. Ghosh, who is in CBI custody, has been removed from the list of Registered Medical Practitioners maintained by the WBMC, he said. His licence was cancelled under various provisions of the Bengal Medical Act of 1914, the official said. He is an orthopaedic surgeon and without the licence, he cannot practice. Ghosh was arrested by the CBI on September 2 for his alleged involvement in the financial irregularities at the hospital amid the protests over the rape and murder of the on-duty trainee doctor. He was later accused of evidence tampering in the rape-murder case. Aniket Mahato, one of the leading faces of the junior doctors who have been agitating over the death of their colleague, described it as a "victory". "This is a victory for our deceased sister. The cancellation of Ghosh's medical registration should have

RG Kar issue: Agitating doctors to lift 'ceasework' partially from Saturday

Agitating junior doctors announced that they will "partially" lift their 'cease work' and partially rejoin their duties at emergency and essential services in state-run hospitals from Saturday as the West Bengal government has accepted most of their demands. The medics, who have been on 'cease work' for the last 41 days following the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, announced that they would lift their sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan on Friday. Before lifting the sit-in, they would hold a march from Swasthya Bhawan, the state health department headquarters, to CBI office at CGO Complex in Salt Lake area. "It has been decided that given the flood situation in West Bengal and the state government agreeing to certain demands of ours, we will be rejoining emergency and essential services partially from Saturday. We are withdrawing our cease work partially," an agitating doctor said after their general body meeting. The protesting doctors said the

RG Kar: Doctors allege police pressure as decorators dismantle protest site

Agitating junior doctors on Thursday alleged that decorators were removing tents, bamboo shafts and pedestal fans from the protest site in front of Swasthya Bhawan after they were allegedly pressurised by the police to do so. The police, however, denied these allegations as baseless. The agitating doctors said that around midnight, decorators, who had themselves donated tarpaulin, beds, tents and pedestal fans, were seen removing those from the sit-in site outside the state health department headquarters in Salt Lake. A junior doctor claimed that there was confusion when decorators began opening the tents, but they were assured that these items would be replaced soon. "All arrangements for the sit-in are being funded by the public. Some decorators volunteered to provide us with tents, fans, bamboo shafts, and makeshift beds. When we contacted them about why they were taking down the items, they said they would replace these soon as they needed to use these items for making Durga Pu

WB Medical Council cancels Sandip Ghosh's licence over rape-murder case

Sandip Ghosh's licence was revoked under various sections of the Bengal Medical Act, 1914

Junior doctors, Bengal govt talks fail; protests over safety to persist

Protesting junior doctors in Kolkata expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of concrete assurances and stated that their sit-in demonstration would continue

Officials refused our demands: Junior docs after meeting Bengal chief secy

This came after junior doctors from West Bengal Junior Doctors Front met West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant to discuss their unfulfilled demands

Kolkata doctors declare 'partial victory' amid strikes, demand more action

At a general body meeting held on Wednesday, the junior doctors decided to request another meeting with the chief minister to discuss unresolved issues

Agitating junior doctors continue sit-in, seek another meeting with CM

Junior doctors agitating over RG Kar murder early Wednesday said they will continue their sit-in and not join duty, despite the state appointing Manoj Kumar Verma as the new Kolkata Police chief, replacing Vineet Goyal, and removing two senior health department officials, giving in to the medics' earlier demands. According to a statement issued following the conclusion of their general body meeting, which had started around 6.30 pm and went on till well past midnight, the protestors called the state's administrative measures "only partial victory" of their movement. The doctors demanded the removal of the state health secretary NS Nigam, saying they were assured by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the Monday of an action on it. The doctors said they will send an email to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant after daybreak seeking an appointment with the CM for another meeting later in the day. They also demanded discussions on safety and security of doctors inside hospital premises and

Agitating doctors continue 'cease work', await state's action on ground

Junior doctors continued their 'cease work' stir in hospitals and sit-in near Swasthya Bhawan on Tuesday morning, asserting they will take a final call on withdrawing their agitation only after the state government implements its announcements made on the previous night "in true spirit". The protesting doctors expressed satisfaction over their "partial success" after a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the fifth attempt on Monday night. "We have already said that we will decide our next step regarding the ongoing agitation and 'cease work' only after seeing concrete actions on the ground and the progress of the Supreme Court proceedings. "Our aim is to get justice, and while we have achieved partial success, the health secretary has not been removed," a protesting doctor said at the protest site near Swasthya Bhawan, the West Bengal health department's headquarters, on Tuesday. Accepting the bulk of the five-point charter of demand placed by the agitating junior doctor

Mamata Banerjee yields to doctors' demands, removes Kolkata police chief

Despite assurances from the Mamata Banerjee government, the doctors have decided to continue their protests, stating that not all their demands have been met

RG Kar case: Mamata removes Police Commissioner, protesting medics rejoice

Accepting the bulk of the five-point charter of demand placed by the agitating junior doctors, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced her decision to transfer a section of Kolkata Police and the state health department top brass, including CP Vineet Goyal, from their respective positions. Banerjee also announced the removal of the Director of Medical Education (DME) and the Director of Health Services (DHS) besides the Deputy Commissioner (North Division) who allegedly offered money to the parents of the RG Kar victim. We will announce the name of the new police commissioner after 4 pm on Tuesday after the scheduled hearing in Supreme Court gets over, the chief minister said at the stroke of midnight after concluding her meeting with the agitating junior doctors at her Kalighat residence, barely hours ahead of the scheduled Supreme Court hearing on the RG Kar hospital matter. The decisions were formalised in the minutes of the meeting which was signed by Chief Secretar

Meeting between agitating junior doctors, WB govt begins at Mamata's home

The first round of talks between the West Bengal government and the agitating junior doctors began at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kalighat on Monday evening to address the RG Kar impasse. After four unsuccessful bids to initiate a dialogue to resolve the deadlock, a delegation of agitating junior doctors arrived at Banerjee's residence for the crucial talks. The previous attempts to resolve the issue got stuck due to the state government's rejection of the doctors' demand for live-streaming and video recording of the meeting. The agitating medics later agreed to a compromise, now only asking to record the minutes of the meeting and receive a signed copy. The state government accepted this condition, with Chief Secretary Manoj Pant saying both parties will sign the minutes of the meeting and share copies for clarity. Meanwhile, the doctors continued their sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the Health department, for the eight day and the 'cease wo