RG Kar Case: Hunger strike continues for the 10th consecutive day demanding justice, another doctor's health deteriorates

There is still anger across the country over the horrific incident that happened with the female doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The hunger strike of junior doctors continues to demand justice and workplace safety. They have been on hunger strike for more than a week. The condition of another doctor on hunger strike deteriorated. He has been admitted to the hospital.

Doctor's health deteriorated.

Officials said that Pulast Acharya of NRS Medical College and Hospital was taken to the hospital on Sunday night after complaining of severe stomach pain. Earlier, three junior doctors on hunger strike were admitted to the hospital considering their health condition.

A senior doctor of NRS Medical College and Hospital said, 'Pulastha is admitted in CCU. His parameters have deteriorated. We have formed a medical board to treat him.'

The Chief Secretary wrote a letter to JPD.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant had written a letter to the Joint Forum of Doctors (JPD) on Sunday and urged them to withdraw the proposed protest on October 15. He had said that the protest coincides with the state government's annual 'Durga Puja Carnival'. He had invited them for a meeting at Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the state health department, on Monday to discuss their demands.

In an email, Pant also requested the JPD to advise the junior doctors to end the hunger strike in the interest of their health and well-being.

These are the demands of the doctors.

In the last few days, when the Durga Puja festival was going on, a large number of common people reached the hunger strike site. The junior doctors are demanding justice for the RG Kar Hospital victim and the immediate removal of the health secretary. Their other demands include the establishment of a centralized referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, the introduction of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and the formation of a task force to ensure necessary provisions for CCTVs, on-call rooms, and washrooms at workplaces.

The hunger strike continues from October 5

The doctors' hunger strike began on October 5, after nearly 50 days of 'work shutdown' in two phases. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Friday urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene before the situation worsens. Doctors of private hospitals have called for a 'partial strike' for 48 hours from October 14 in West Bengal in solidarity with the agitating junior doctors. At the same time, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has also warned that if any harm is done to the protesting junior doctors, they will 'completely shut down medical services' across the country.

What is the matter?

No one can forget that horrific morning of August 9, when the body of a female doctor was found in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College. When the matter came into controversy, it was found that the doctor had been raped. The matter reached from the Kolkata High Court to the Supreme Court and then its investigation was handed over to the CBI. Almost two months after the incident, there is hope for justice for the female doctor. Calcutta Police arrested Sanjay Roy on August 10 in the case of the rape and murder of a female doctor.