Editor's Pick | Doctors call off strike after Bengal govt. lists reforms

Protesting resident doctors in West Bengal on Thursday decided to call off their agitation outside Swasthya Bhawan, the health secretariat, and announced that they will join emergency services in the State-run health facilities from Saturday. Thousands of junior doctors have been on a strike for nearly 40 days since the body of a doctor was found inside the seminar hall of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The decision by the protesting doctors to call off the cease-work came hours after the West Bengal government issued a list of directives for ensuring safety, security and efficient functioning of all health care professionals in the State, one of the key demands of the doctors. According to a representative of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, the doctors will take out a procession from Swasthya Bhawan to the Central Government Officers (CGO) complex, where the office of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is located, on Friday. “We have been raising the demand of safety and security in the State-run hospitals because we did not want another incident to occur like the one that happened to Abhaya. Our demands are not for a union or organisation. What happened to her was an institutional murder,” said Aniket Mahato, one of the representatives of the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front. Referring to the ongoing flood situation in the State, Dr. Mahato said doctors would resume emergency services from Saturday. The doctor said an Abhaya Clinic for flood-affected people would be set up. “We want to remind the government that our fight will go on till the safety and security reforms are completely ensured. The government should not think that the movement has stopped,” he said. The development comes a day after doctors under the banner of the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front met the State’s Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant. In a letter addressed to the Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare N.S. Nigam, Mr. Pant highlighted ten directives for safety and security of healthcare professionals which include “deployment of adequate number of police/security personnel along with female police/security personnel in every healthcare facility in consultation with [the] Home Department”. The communication also pointed out that the State government has appointed former Director General of Police Surajit Kar Purkayastha to conduct security audits of all medical colleges and hospitals. The State government has also suggested that a centralised helpline number as well as panic call button alarm system should also be made available in every healthcare facility. The State government has directed that immediate steps should be taken for filling up vacant posts of doctors, nurses and technicians. “A robust grievance redressal system should be developed to promptly address the grievances and complaints of all the stakeholders including patient and patient parties,” the letter from the Chief Secretary said. On Thursday, the Chief Minister had once again appealed to protesting doctors to return to work highlighting the flood situation and the possible outbreak of water-borne diseases. “We have done all that we could do. May good sense prevail,” she said. In an editorial, The Hindu had noted out that it will take time, money and willpower to increase the safety and the security of doctors and end the “threat culture” pervading in government hospitals. The State government has told the Supreme Court, which is hearing the case suo motu, that is setting aside ₹100 crore to improve hospital infrastructure, and will form a task force headed by the Chief Secretary with representatives of doctors to sort out issues. In its hearing on September 17, the Supreme Court slammed the West Bengal government for its scheme to hire private security guards to protect women medical students, doctors and staff in government hospitals under the ‘Rattirer Sathi’ (Friend in the Night) scheme. A three-judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud pointed out that the main accused in the rape and murder, Sanjoy Roy, was a civic volunteer. It also compelled the State to agree to withdraw a policy, issued August 19, to restrict women doctors to 12-hour shifts and take no night duty at hospitals. “Women do not want concessions from you. They want equal opportunities to work in a safe environment. Why do you prevent them from working in the night,” the Chief Justice asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the State of West Bengal. In another development, the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) cancelled the registration of the former Principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Kumar Ghosh, who has been arrested in the rape and murder case. The Hindu’s Editorial Milestones and U-turns: On the government in its third term Wrong notion: On simultaneous elections The Hindu’ s Daily Quiz Which team won the Asian Champions Trophy title on Tuesday? China Pakistan India Korea To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 20 September 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 20 September 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Doctors call off strike after Bengal govt. lists reforms Protesting resident doctors in West Bengal on Thursday [decided to call off their agitation outside Swasthya Bhawan]( the health secretariat, and announced that they will join emergency services in the State-run health facilities from Saturday. Thousands of junior doctors have been on a strike for nearly 40 days since the body of a doctor was found inside the seminar hall of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The decision by the protesting doctors to call off the cease-work came hours after the West Bengal government issued a list of directives for ensuring safety, security and efficient functioning of all health care professionals in the State, one of the key demands of the doctors. According to a representative of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, the doctors will take out a procession from Swasthya Bhawan to the Central Government Officers (CGO) complex, where the office of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is located, on Friday. “We have been raising the demand of safety and security in the State-run hospitals because we did not want another incident to occur like the one that happened to Abhaya. Our demands are not for a union or organisation. What happened to her was an institutional murder,” said Aniket Mahato, one of the representatives of the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front. Referring to the ongoing flood situation in the State, Dr. Mahato said doctors would resume emergency services from Saturday. The doctor said an Abhaya Clinic for flood-affected people would be set up. “We want to remind the government that our fight will go on till the safety and security reforms are completely ensured. The government should not think that the movement has stopped,” he said. The development comes a day after doctors under the banner of the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front met the State’s Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant. In a letter addressed to the Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare N.S. Nigam, Mr. Pant highlighted ten directives for safety and security of healthcare professionals which include “deployment of adequate number of police/security personnel along with female police/security personnel in every healthcare facility in consultation with [the] Home Department”. The communication also pointed out that the State government has appointed former Director General of Police Surajit Kar Purkayastha to conduct security audits of all medical colleges and hospitals. The State government has also suggested that a centralised helpline number as well as panic call button alarm system should also be made available in every healthcare facility. The State government has directed that immediate steps should be taken for filling up vacant posts of doctors, nurses and technicians. “A robust grievance redressal system should be developed to promptly address the grievances and complaints of all the stakeholders including patient and patient parties,” the letter from the Chief Secretary said. On Thursday, the Chief Minister had once again appealed to protesting doctors to return to work highlighting the flood situation and the possible outbreak of water-borne diseases. “We have done all that we could do. May good sense prevail,” she said. [In an editorial, The Hindu had noted]( out that it will take time, money and willpower to increase the safety and the security of doctors and end the “threat culture” pervading in government hospitals. The State government has told the Supreme Court, which is hearing the case suo motu, that is setting aside ₹100 crore to improve hospital infrastructure, and will form a task force headed by the Chief Secretary with representatives of doctors to sort out issues. In its hearing on September 17, the Supreme Court slammed the West Bengal government for its scheme [to hire private security guards to protect women medical students]( doctors and staff in government hospitals under the ‘Rattirer Sathi’ (Friend in the Night) scheme. A three-judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud pointed out that the main accused in the rape and murder, Sanjoy Roy, was a civic volunteer. It also compelled the State to agree to withdraw a policy, issued August 19, to restrict women doctors to 12-hour shifts and take no night duty at hospitals. “Women do not want concessions from you. They want equal opportunities to work in a safe environment. Why do you prevent them from working in the night,” the Chief Justice asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the State of West Bengal. In another development, the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC)[cancelled the registration of the former Principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital]( Sandip Kumar Ghosh, who has been arrested in the rape and murder case. 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