Junior doctors here continued their hunger strike on October 19, in solidarity with the West Bengal Junior Doctors front. The hunger strike by the doctors has been going on since the last 324 hours.
The strike came after doctors demanded justice for a fellow resident doctor who was raped and murdered in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Janmayee Mandal, a doctor said that enough time was given to the government to take action.
Speaking to media, he said “After discussion with the senior doctors, we gave enough time to the government to take action. Our hunger strike will go on if they do not take action. Government needs to take responsibility and stop neglecting us. We will have to accelerate our protest if demands are not met. If the government thinks they will be able to suppress us, they won’t be able to do it.”
On October 15, the Indian Medical Association had announced that the IMA Junior Doctors Network across the nation will be fasting in solidarity with the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front.
In a press statement, the IMA stated that the Junior Doctors would hold the fast from dawn to dusk today across the country and the whole move would be supported by the IMA Medical Students Network.
This came after five resident doctors of Kolkata went on a hunger strike over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital murder-rape case, demanding the West Bengal government meet their demands of proving safety and security to the doctors and healthcare workers in the Hospitals, among others.
“IMA Junior Doctors Network, supported by IMA Medical Students Network, have organised fasting in solidarity with the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front today all across the country. The young resident doctors of Kolkata are on Fast unto Death. 5 (five) of them have been removed to ICUs with deteriorating health conditions. The Government of West Bengal has been reluctant to concede their 10 eminently doable demands. The entire medical fraternity identifies itself with the young resident doctors who are on fast,” IMA said in the statement. (ANI)
(with inputs from ANI)
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