Junior doctors’ hunger strike in West Bengal enters 10th day, another medic hospitalized

The hunger strike by junior doctors in West Bengal, demanding justice and workplace reforms following the RG Kar hospital incident, entered its 10th day on Monday, with another doctor being hospitalized due to deteriorating health. Pulastha Acharya, a medic from NRS Medical College and Hospital, was admitted to the hospital on Sunday night after complaining of severe stomach pain, officials said.

Acharya is now in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) as his condition worsens. "We have formed a medical board to monitor and treat him," a senior doctor at NRS Medical College told PTI. Earlier, three other junior doctors involved in the hunger strike were also hospitalized, both in Kolkata and Siliguri, as their health conditions declined.

The hunger strike began on October 5 and followed nearly 50 days of 'cease work' by junior doctors. The agitation stems from the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, and the doctors have been pressing for a range of demands, including the removal of Health Secretary N S Nigam and improved security measures in their workplaces.

Other demands include the establishment of a centralised referral system, a bed vacancy monitoring system, and task forces to ensure essential provisions like CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at hospitals across the state.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant reached out to the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD) on Sunday, urging them to call off their planned demonstration on October 15, which coincides with the state's Durga Pujo Carnival. Pant also invited the group for a meeting at the state health department headquarters, Swasthya Bhawan, on Monday to discuss their demands. In his communication, Pant emphasized the need for the doctors to prioritize their health and well-being by ending the hunger strike. Despite these efforts, the junior doctors remain resolute, continuing their protest as the state government grapples with addressing their concerns.