State working on docs’ security, 70% work completed at some places: Chief Secy

Pradip Chatterjee, MP, 1 Oct 2024, Kolkata: Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, on Monday, stated that the state government was working to strengthen the security measures of the doctors in state-run hospitals and its results would soon be reflected. 

It would take some time to install all the CCTVs at the hospitals and the agitating junior doctors should not be impatient, Pant said when asked about the observation of the Supreme Court during the hearing of the RG Kar rape and murder case. 

Pant said that the state government is hopeful that the agitating junior doctors are aware of their responsibilities and would serve the patients to the best of their ability. 

“The work is going on everywhere. Thirty per cent of work has been completed at some places and it is 70 per cent at some other places. The government is aware and active. CM Mamata Banerjee, herself, is monitoring the situation,” Pant stated.

“It’s a collaborative effort and I am sure the results will be visible. We should not be impatient,” he said, adding that such work requires some time to complete. Appealing to the agitating junior doctors to provide proper services, Pant said: “They are highly educated and professional people who we believe understand their responsibilities.” 

Meanwhile, Junior Doctors Front, which had threatened to resume the cease-work after the Supreme Court’s hearing on Monday, did not, however, issue any statement in this regard till late evening. 

Last Saturday they stated that as the safety and security issues have not been ensured in government hospitals, they would again start a cease-work. Earlier in the day, the West Bengal government told the Supreme Court that resident doctors were not performing inpatient department (IPD) and outpatient department work (OPD). 

They only returned to work only at emergency services and emergencies. The junior doctors’ counsel, however, claimed in the Apex Court that they were performing all duties, including IPD and OPD. Indira Jaising, representing the junior doctors of Bengal said that essential services include IPD and OPD. 

However, the junior doctors allegedly were not providing services at IPDs and OPDs and they had also announced it while resuming work after a hiatus of 42 days. 

The Bench recorded her statement that all junior doctors are performing and shall perform essential services, including IPD and OPD. Junior doctors partially resumed their duties at various government-run hospitals last week. 

The junior doctors on Monday evening said that the motive of the murder needs to come to light and also the names of the people who were involved in the crime. They expressed unhappiness claiming that the security enhancement exercise was going on in a slow process and many of their demands have not been met by the state government. 

The junior doctors are, however, set to take out a rally in the city on Tuesday. Incidentally, junior doctors at Sagore Dutta started an indefinite cease-work from Saturday after health workers at the institute were allegedly attacked by the kin of a deceased patient. 

Meanwhile, the RG Kar Ex-students Association has decided to cancel the membership of Dr Sudipto Roy, the former Rogi Kalyan Samiti Chairman of RG Kar after he was grilled by ED several times in connection with the financial irregularities of the hospital. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/state-working-on-docs-security-70-work-completed-at-some-places-chief-secy-581642