'Cease-work to continue until...': Protesting doctors refuse to end strike, seek 2nd meeting with Mamata Banerjee

PTC News Desk: After the West Bengal government dismissed two senior health department officials and appointed a new police commissioner for Kolkata, protesting junior doctors on Wednesday refused to call off their strike. They termed the protest as a "partial victory" and sought another meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 

According to the doctors' statement, they will continue their cease-work strike until the state government takes serious measures to meet their demands. The decisions were announced following a general body meeting to decide on the next course of action after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that her government had accepted "99%" of junior doctors' demands. She also urged them to resume their duties, emphasising the strain on the state's medical system.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front further stated that numerous attempts were made to malign their cause. "Due to our movement's pressure, the state government was forced to dismiss the Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner North, Director of Health Services, and Director of Medical Education. This is a partial victory for our movement," they said.

The doctors stated that their demand to remove the Principal Secretary (Health) hadn't been addressed at their meeting with Chief Minister Banerjee on Monday. "The Chief Minister gave us a verbal assurance, but we have not seen any step in the direction so far."

The doctors' body also cited the Supreme Court's observations on the Bengal government's notification that state-run hospitals would not assign night hours to female doctors. 

The doctors stated that creating a gender divide is not an effective strategy to ensure protection for women. Following the court's observation that it is the state's responsibility to provide security, the Bengal government's attorney, Kapil Sibal, stated that the notification will be revised.

The doctors also cited the court's observations about contractual staff being hired to offer security at hospitals. The doctors' organisation has stated that simply increasing hospital security will not assure doctors' safety until health services are improved. It has advocated for adequate recruitment of healthcare personnel and counselling services in hospitals. "Ordinary people come across issues as a result of corruption in hospital bed allocation and a shortage of life-saving drugs. We want a solution to all of these issues," they said.