Mon Oct 14 07:01:22 UTC 2024: ## Junior Doctors’ Hunger Strike Enters 10th Day in West Bengal, One Doctor Hospitalized

**Kolkata, October 14, 2024** – The hunger strike by junior doctors in West Bengal demanding justice for a colleague who was raped and murdered at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital entered its tenth day on Monday. The strike has seen three doctors hospitalized due to their deteriorating health, with the latest being Pulastha Acharya of the NRS Medical College and Hospital, who was admitted on Sunday night after experiencing severe stomach pain.

The West Bengal government has urged the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD), representing the striking doctors, to call off their planned demonstration scheduled for October 15th, stating that the protest coincides with the state’s annual Durga Pujo Carnival. The Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant, has invited the JPD for a meeting on Monday to discuss their demands.

The JPD, in a statement, expressed disappointment over the government’s decision to proceed with the carnival, arguing that the government prioritizes celebrations over addressing the doctors’ concerns and demands for a safer healthcare system.

The junior doctors have been demanding justice for the R.G. Kar hospital victim, immediate removal of Health Secretary N.S. Nigam, workplace security, and other measures. Their demands also include the establishment of a centralized referral system, implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and formation of task forces to ensure essential provisions like CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.

The hunger strike follows nearly 50 days of ‘cease work’ in two phases, triggered by the tragic incident at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9th, 2024. The ongoing protest highlights the pressing need for improved safety and security measures for medical professionals in West Bengal.

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