Junior Doctors’ Cease Work to Continue After Second Round of Talks with Bengal Govt. Remain Inconclusive

The second round of talks between junior doctors and West Bengal government officials ended without resolution on Wednesday, prompting the medics to continue their cease work, citing safety concerns at government-run hospitals. The doctors expressed dissatisfaction after they did not receive the written minutes of the meeting, leading to their decision to continue with their protests. The doctors have been on strike since August 9, the day a 31-year-old PGT doctor was raped and murdered in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

“We didn’t receive the minutes of the meeting from the Chief Secretary. We discussed several key issues, including the referral system and safety for students. During our previous meeting with the Chief Minister, we received signed minutes, but this time, the Chief Secretary only agreed to send an email,” said Dr Aniket Mahato, adding that the future course of their movement would depend on the email.

Earlier in the day, the junior doctors had sent an email to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, requesting further discussions on outstanding demands. In response, Pant invited them to a meeting at the state secretariat, Nabanna, which lasted over five hours. Despite the lengthy talks, the medics indicated they would persist with their protests until formal documentation of the meeting was provided. Following the meeting, the Chief Secretary urged the doctors to return to work for the sake of public interest, but the medics remained firm in their stance. The doctors reiterated their demands for improved safety protocols and transparency within the healthcare system.

Following the first meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, the Bengal government announced the removal of Commissioner of Police Vineet Goyal and two senior health officials in response to the doctors' demands. On Tuesday, the government appointed IPS Manoj Kumar Verma as the new Police Commissioner of Kolkata, replacing Goyal. Additionally, changes were made within the state health department. However, the government's refusal to conduct a departmental inquiry against Health Secretary N S Nigam remains a contentious issue.

The doctors also raised concerns about the broader issues of safety and the need for reforms in the healthcare system during the recent meetings. Their demands included better representation for students in decision-making processes, safety measures like the deployment of female police officers for night patrols, and the establishment of emergency helplines. “The government agreed that most of our demands were just and needed immediate implementation,” said a doctor. “However, we were disappointed when the Chief Secretary refused to provide a signed record of our discussions,” he added.

Despite previous agreements, including the formation of a task force to address safety and security, the lack of written confirmation has led the medics to continue their protests outside the state health department headquarters. Their sit-in in front of Swastha Bhavan has been ongoing for nine days, with cease work spanning over 40 days; the doctors have maintained that their demands must be formally acknowledged before they consider ending their strike.