RG Kar protest: Bengal’s healthcare services largely unaffected following doctors’ mass resignation

KOLKATA,OCTO 9 : The mass resignation of senior doctors at different medical colleges and hospitals in West Bengal to express solidarity with their junior counterparts did not hamper healthcare services at these medical establishments, an official of the state health department claimed on Wednesday.

Patient inflow at the out-patient department was considerably low due to the ongoing Durga Puja festivities across the state, though senior and junior doctors, RMOs and assistant professors were present in the hospitals across West Bengal to perform their regular duties, the official said.

A patient from Murshidabad, Sunirmal Basu, who is a regular at the orthopaedic department in RG Kar Hospital, said that the particular doctor whom he had been consulting for the last 4-5 years was present at the OPD as per schedule.

“I was apprehensive whether the OPD would be functional or not, or whether the doctor would be present or not. But the doctor was there like any other normal day,” Basu said.

Another oncology patient, who had prescheduled cancer-related therapy, was also attended to at the medical facility. “I had scheduled treatment today, which went well, and I had no problem,” the patient, who requested anonymity, said.

The senior doctors, however, cautioned that although the services at state-run hospitals have not been affected much till Wednesday, the situation might not remain the same in the coming days if there is no fruitful response from the state government.

“Till today, we have worked keeping in mind the patients and their sufferings. We want the government to come forth and do its duty,” Dr Sandip Sarkar, assistant professor at RG Kar Hospital, said.

Talking to PTI, a senior official of the state health department said, “We are yet to receive any official communication from any of the doctors in connection with their mass resignation. There is no such norm to offer mass resignation. If people want to resign, they will have to follow a certain process. However, healthcare services were not affected because no doctor was absent in any of the hospitals today.”

Several doctors and faculty members in Kolkata followed their colleagues in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital who had resigned en masse on Tuesday and sent their mass resignation to the Director of Medical Education, according to the Kolkata Medical College Resident Doctors’ Association.

People hold a banner during the Junior Doctors fast-unto-death hunger strike demanding justice for the victim of the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder case, in Kolkata on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.

West Bengal doctors on fast unto death after demands ignored

Around 35 doctors of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri also gave mass resignations in support of the junior doctors’ protest in Kolkata, the doctors’ forum of the medical establishment said.

“We, the teachers of North Bengal Medical College, are dismayed and discouraged to continue our services, under such oppressive circumstances. While our students and juniors stand on the verge of disaster, we earnestly request the higher authorities to address their demands and ensure resolution of this crisis without any further delay. However, there being no such effort evident till now, we request you to kindly accept our resignation from the West Bengal Medical Education Service,” their mass resignation letter read.

Dr Sunit Hazra, an orthopaedic surgeon at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, explained that the resignations were intended to exert pressure on the state government, which has remained silent during the ongoing hunger strike by junior doctors.

“Our resignation is symbolic, aimed at prompting the government to engage in discussions. We do not want the patients to suffer. We are treating them and will continue to do so because it is our duty and we are morally obliged to do that,” he said.

Explaining the way hospitals function during festivities, Hazra said that the duty roster is prepared keeping in mind that everybody can be part of the festivities.

“So, we know how to replace a doctor in his absence. In hospitals, there is always a backup for a doctor. If somebody is absent, we can replace him or her immediately so that healthcare services are not affected,” he said.

Dr Hiralal Konar, joint convener of the joint platform of doctors of West Bengal, said, “This (tendering mass resignation) has become viral among doctors after seeing the state government unmoved even when a few young doctors are on fast-unto-death.”

“The senior doctors have realised that only mass resignation could move the state government. We are waiting for the state government to come forward and address the issues as soon as possible so that there is no life threat to those on hunger strike,” he said.

Another patient, Bikramjit Chattopadhyay, who is scheduled for a pacemaker battery replacement at SSKM Hospital, said that the operation is as per schedule and will take place on Thursday.

During Durga Puja, OPDs are closed only on ‘Ashtami’ (which falls on Friday this year) and are operational during the rest of the days during the puja.

A total of 54 senior doctors of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital resigned en masse on Tuesday.

Doctors in West Bengal are protesting after the alleged rape and murder of a woman medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August.

-PTI