Key Doctors’ Body Pauses Strike As Bengal Calls Meet To Discuss Demands

The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), the key doctors’ body, today paused its nationwide shutdown of elective services in hospitals in solidarity with medics’ ongoing protest in West Bengal after the state government called a meeting to discuss their demands.

“We will closely assess this meeting’s outcome to ensure it meets the demands of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF). If the meeting fails to produce satisfactory results, we will proceed with a complete boycott from October 15 onward,” the FAIMA said, which yesterday had called for a nationwide strike on Monday.

“Emergency services will remain unaffected to uphold our commitment to urgent patient care,” it added.

West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant has invited representatives of key doctors’ bodies for a meeting on Monday at the state health department headquarters Swasthya Bhawan to discuss their demands.

In an email, Mr Pant also urged the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD) to “advise” the junior doctors to end their hunger strike in the interest of their health and well-being.

Junior doctors in West Bengal have been on fast-unto-death since October 5 demanding justice for the 31-year-old woman medic, who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. Their fast followed nearly 50 days of ‘cease work’ in two phases.

Their other demands include establishing a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, implementing a bed vacancy monitoring system, and forming task forces to ensure essential provisions for CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.

Three doctors have so far been hospitalised after their health condition deteriorated due to fasting.

“After exhaustive discussions, we have unanimously decided that it is time to unite on a national scale. We had given an ultimatum for escalation to the Chief Minister of West Bengal in a previous letter, however no satisfactory action has been seen, compelling us to request all RDAs (Resident Doctors’ Associations) and medical associations across the country to join us in our call for a shutdown of elective services across the country, commencing Monday,” the FAIMA had said on Sunday.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly. We are aware of the implications this has for the general public, and it pains us to consider any action that might cause them distress. But our voices have been ignored, our safety compromised, and our appeals dismissed by the government for long,” it said in a letter addressed to National Medical Associations, state Resident Doctors’ Associations (RDAs) and Resident Doctors’ Associations (RDAs) from various medical colleges and institutes 

“We cannot afford to lose another colleague to violence or neglect. The apathy of the government has left us with no other choice. It is with a heavy heart but steadfast determination that we ask all RDAs to convene immediate general body meetings and urge you to join us in solidarity with the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front,” it added.