Kolkata: The junior doctors on Friday gave a 72-hour ultimatum to the Bengal govt to implement their 10-point demands by Monday, failing which they threatened a daylong general health strike on Tuesday in state and private healthcare facilities.
The doctors claimed their hands have been forced by an “unresponsive govt” and that the blame will be on the govt for any patient distress during the strike.
“It was due to the concern of general people that we had ended our cease-work. And instead, we placed a bet with our own lives to improve the healthcare system. But for the past 14 days, the govt has remained unmoved. So, we have decided to give them time till Monday to sit for discussions (with us) and fulfill all demands. If not done, we will be forced to go for a general health strike in state and private healthcare facilities. The govt has to take the blame for any patient distress during the strike,” said Debasish Haldar, a West Bengal Junior Doctors Front (WBJDF) representative. Haldar claimed that junior and senior doctors will all go on strike.
According to sources, it is still not clear if senior doctors will join the strike given the service rule compulsions which are fraught with legal complications. But almost all doctors’ bodies that had lent their weight behind the agitation were consulted by junior doctors before taking the strike call. Haldar said, “We hope we do not have to tread that line (strike).”
On Saturday, WBJDF has given a call for ‘Yatra for Justice’ from the victim’s house in Sodepur to their protest site at Esplanade. All major senior doctor organisations will also participate in the march that will cover around 18 km. It will begin around 2 pm.
Saturday will also mark the 14th day of the ongoing hunger strike where three junior doctors have been fasting from day one and have now been joined by four others, replacing four who had to be hospitalized. “For the past two weeks we have been on fast. Unfortunately, the CM has not turned her face towards us even for once,” said Sayantani Ghosh Hajra, a fasting junior doctor.
On Friday, a team from Protect the Warriors visited the dharna mancha along with senior physician Sukumar Mukherjee, who appealed to the govt to step in to end the impasse.
Aprotest call during Saturday’s Derby has been given by Tilottomar Pashe Maidan that has East Bengal and Mo hun Bagan fans. More than 12 organizations, including healthcare professionals from private hospitals, South Kolkata Schools Alumni Collective, Jadavpur Puratani o Sanghati, CU alumni, Banglar Abhaya and Manab Jameen, will participate and form a human chain from Ruby to Building More and Ultadanga to Kadapara from 5 pm to 7 pm. Night vigils are also scheduled at Lake Town Clock tower and Jadavpur 8B. Theatre workers have also organised a sit-in near Academy of Fine Arts from 9 pm.
