Junior Doctors Plan Partial Return to Work Amid Ongoing Protests

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, September 20, 2024, Calcutta : Junior doctors in West Bengal have announced their decision to partially resume work starting next Saturday, following a press conference held by the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front on Thursday night. However, they clarified that not all services would be reinstated immediately.

As part of their phased return, junior doctors will initially focus on providing emergency services while maintaining their ongoing protests. The group has decided to remove their sit-in demonstration in front of the Health Building, effective Friday. A procession is scheduled for the same day, which will march from Health Bhavan to the CBI office at the CGO complex at 3 PM. After this event, the junior doctors will return to their respective medical colleges and hospitals.

Despite this partial resumption of services, the junior doctors have issued a stern warning to the state government. They emphasize that if their demands regarding workplace safety and the culture of threats are not addressed, they will halt all work entirely. The doctors have set a deadline of seven days for the government to respond to their concerns. "Our flexible attitude should not be perceived as weakness," they cautioned.

Debashis Halder, a prominent figure in the junior doctors' movement, reiterated that the return to work would focus solely on emergency services, as the nature of these services varies across different medical departments and colleges. The doctors are adamant about their commitment to improving working conditions and ensuring their safety within the healthcare system.

As tensions remain high, the coming week will be crucial in determining the future of this situation and the extent of services that junior doctors will be able to provide moving forward.