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With doctors at several hospitals across the nation boycotting non-essential medical services today in protest against the incident centering around the Nil Ratan Sircar (NRS) Hospital in West Bengal, the state's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee agreed to meet the protesting NRS doctors at the State Secretariat and even allowed video recording, in a desperate bid to resume normal medical services in the state.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had called for a nationwide protest today, suspending all the non-essential services, including OPDs, during the protest.
Healthcare services at government and private hospitals in the national capital and the rest of the country took a hit today as scores of doctors decided to boycott work for a day in support of the protest.
In other news, a three-year-old child in Malda died after allegedly being denied treatment at the Emergency Department at Malda Medical College and Hospital. The child was identified as Indrajit Ghosh, who was rushed to the hospital with a snake bite.
Here are the live updates:
1. Junior doctors of NRS Hospital withdraw strike
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Junior doctors of NRS Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata: We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all seniors, juniors, patients, common people, intelligentsia and medical fraternity of the country who spontaneously extended their support and made this movement possible. We hope to maintain this unity in future.
Junior doctors of NRS Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata: We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the CM. After an enormous movement, the meeting and discussions with our CM met a logical end. Considering everything we expect the govt to solve the issues as discussed in due time.
Doctors delegation: We will go to NRS and then announce our withdrawal. We are satisfied.
CM to junior doctors: Once you withdraw the strike, I will visit Paribaha (Assaulted doctor)
>>> West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accepted the proposal of doctors to set up Grievance Redressal Cell in Government Hospitals.
West Bengal: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's meeting with representatives of doctors was held at Nabanna, earlier today. She accepted the proposal of doctors to set up Grievance Redressal Cell in Government Hospitals. Doctors to announce their decision later. pic.twitter.com/zWbaZCXJ73
— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
>>> West Bengal Mamata Banerjee directs Kolkata Police commissioner Anuj Sharma to deploy a nodal police officer in every hospital
Junior doctors asking CM to visit the assaulted doctor, Mamata responds: Leave that for me to decide when I’ll go and when not. On the first day, I tried to speak to the junior doctors, you didn’t respond and did not speak to me.
Mamata asks officers to set up grievance cell at all hospitals in three languages - Hindi, English and Bengali. It should be visible during the night too. If any patients party have a complaint, they may go to this cell without resorting to violence.
Docs: We are often made to work in an environment of fear. We request humbly please ensure exemplary punishment against culprits, hence you are our guardian.
We came here for discussion because we want a solution and end the deadlock and resume services. We believe that you have all good intention if possible please take appropriate action against the unwanted incidents that have taken place.
Mamata: Off course we will address this. Rajiv Sinha (State Health Secretary), Chief Secy will address these demands
Rajiv Sinha: The details of action taken are available. Kolkata Police will also help with the names of the accused persons.
Mamata: Please give the details to the doctors as well
Rajiv Sinha: Will ensure infrastructural development. Will jointly visit and look after the problems with the doctors
Mamata: Please ensure that the news of demise or update be communicated via proper channel and in a most humble manner.
Hence, see if a third person can be involved who can absorb the information from the doctors and pass it to the patient party. That would minimise extra pressure on doctors as well
Kolkata Police Commissioner, Anuj Sharma: We had police forces posted in hospitals but now we need to streamline the entry of patient party in the hospital, hence we can minimise the chance of eventualities
Mamata: One officer from police should be made nodal officer responsible for all hospitals. Emphasis should be given on night time security.
Bus carrying 31 representatives of medical colleges and hospitals reaches Nabanna for meeting with CM Mamata Banerjee.
2. Governor welcomes resolution of crisis
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In a statement soon after the announcement, West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi appreciated the initiative taken by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and junior doctors.
"Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi welcomes the resolution of crisis caused by the State-wide strike of doctors consequent upon recent incidents of violence on the doctors at NRS Medical college and Hospitals. The Governor is happy that amicable settlement has been arrived at the meeting held today between the Chief Minister and Doctors. He appreciates the initiative taken by the Chief Minister and also the Junior Doctors to resolve the impasse. He hopes that the Doctors will take up the work of care and treatment of patients as per the high ideals of their noble profession and also that the State Government will take all the steps committed in the meeting expeditiously," the Governpr's office said in a statement.
3. Mamata agrees to live coverage of meeting
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Mamata Banerjee gave consent for live coverage of the proposed meeting with agitating junior doctors on Monday, paving way for a solution to the week-long impasse.
The state government had earlier turned down the striking doctors' demand for live telecast of the meeting, scheduled to be held later in the day.
"The chief minister has agreed to the demand for live coverage of the meeting," a state government official said.
The government sources, however, communicated to the doctors unofficially said that state government cannot ask channels to live stream the meeting, it is up to the channel and it is their discretion whether they want to broadcast it live or not.
The meeting is being held at an auditorium adjacent to the state secretariat in Howrah.
4. Protesting doctors ask for live coverage during meeting with Mamata, only if it is granted they will accept the invite
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Kolkata: Desperate to return medical services in the state to a normal state, Mamata Banerjee has agreed to meet the protesting doctors at NRS, under video recording. However, media presence for the meeting, which was one of the original demands of the doctors, has not been confirmed yet.
The doctors are holding a general body meeting to decide if they will attend the invite, and if they do, which two representatives shall be sent from each of the 14 state hospitals. Reports say that the junior doctors are asking for live coverage during the meeting with CM Mamata Banerjee. If the government is ready to accept their demand, they will attend the meeting.
Director of Medical Education of the West Bengal government P K Mitra said that the doctors' stand regarding national media presence has already been conveyed to the Chief Minister and that "no new conditions can be met now".
If the doctors turn down the invitation, this would be the third time that junior doctors had turned out the government’s invite to hold a meeting and end this impasse. The first meeting was to be held on Friday at 9 PM, which they refused to join. The second meeting was to be held on Saturday at 5 PM, which they again refused to join. Now, the third meeting was again been called by the government today at 3 PM.
The doctors had earlier claimed that they had not received any official letter from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). They had also been demanding government assurance regarding live telecast of the meeting on national media since last night.
5. AIIMS joins strike, along with Safdarjung, RML, GTB and other hospitals in Delhi, emergency services to remain functional
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New Delhi: The Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, decided to join in on the IMA's call for strike from 12 noon today till 6 am tomorrow, in support of the movement against the violence on doctors in West Bengal.
Emergency services including Casualty, ICU and Labour room would be continued, it was decided.
The Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) at AIIMS had earlier decided to withdraw the strike in an earlier press release, deciding to function as usual. The release stated, "Keeping patient care in the center, hospital services would not be disrupted & shall continue as usual for now. In case the lock-jam does not end, we will be forced to resort to the escalation of the protest."
Images from the protest at AIIMS surfaced on social media.
Delhi: Resident Doctors' Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (#AIIMS) holds protest march against violence against doctors in West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/A2TyjiM8PO
— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
The other hospitals in New Delhi where the strike will be staged:
1. Safdarjung Hospital
2. Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital
3. Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
3. Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital
4. Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital
5. Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital
6. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital
6. From Guwahati to Varanasi, junior doctors join in strike to express solidarity
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Doctors at Guwahati Medical College in Assam hold protest against violence against doctors in West Bengal, while doctors went on strike at Sir Sunderlal Hospital in Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
Assam: Doctors at Guwahati Medical College hold protest against violence against doctors in West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/hniRAAUab2
— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
Varanasi: Doctors on strike at Sir Sunderlal Hospital in Banaras Hindu University in the wake of violence against doctors in West Bengal pic.twitter.com/TD20TZFVzp
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 17, 2019
7. Doctors on strike at Gujarat
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Gujarat: Doctors at Sir Sayajirao General Hospital in Vadodara hold a protest outside the Out Patient Department (OPD).
Gujarat: Indian Medical Association today has called for a nationwide strike of doctors in the wake of violence against doctors in West Bengal; Doctors at Sir Sayajirao General Hospital in Vadodara hold protest outside Out Patient Department pic.twitter.com/Ya6NS3CE3x
— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
8. Tripura heeds IMA's call for protest
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Tripura: All Tripura Govt Doctors’ Association (ATGDA) & IMA Tripura to stop providing all OPD services for 24-hrs, today, as a mark of protest against the recent violence against doctors in West Bengal; except OPD services all services will be rendered, said Dr. S Debbarma, General Secretary, IMA Tripura Unit.
9. Rajasthan doctors call for suspension of services
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Rajasthan: Doctors on strike at Jaipuria Hospital in Jaipur.
Rajasthan: Doctors on strike at Jaipuria Hospital in Jaipur; Indian Medical Association (IMA) today has called for a nationwide strike of doctors in the wake of violence against doctors in West Bengal pic.twitter.com/eE1LS1nQQA
— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
10. IMA calls protest in demand of central law dealing with violence on doctors
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The apex medical body, IMA, has demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff.
Security measures and the determinants leading to violence should also be addressed, it said in an earlier statement.
