West Bengal Hospital Services Halts As Medical Staff Continue Strike Over Doctor's Murder

Hospital services across West Bengal were disrupted on Monday as junior doctors, interns, and postgraduate trainees continued their strike for the fourth consecutive day, protesting the rape and murder of a woman doctor and demanding a magisterial inquiry into her death.

Over the past three days, junior doctors had been attending to emergency duties, but as of Monday morning, they have ceased even those responsibilities, sources said.

"We want an impartial investigation into the murder of our colleague, either by the CBI or a sitting magistrate. We are dissatisfied with the current police investigation and will continue our protest until justice is served and the state ensures foolproof security for all doctors and healthcare workers," said a protesting junior doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the incident took place.

The body of the woman post-graduate trainee was found inside a seminar hall of the hospital on Friday morning. A civic volunteer was arrested on Saturday in connection with the crime.

To tackle the situation, the state government has canceled the leave of all senior doctors to manage the situation.

"Our senior doctors are on duty, and we hope they will handle the patient influx. They have been instructed to work until the situation stabilises," an official told PTI.

On Mondays, the outpatient departments of state government hospitals experience a large volume of patients.

Support for the agitating doctors has been pouring in from various parts of the country. The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association of India has endorsed the strike and called for a nationwide halt of elective services on Monday, informing the Union Health Ministry of their decision.

The West Bengal Doctors Forum has also appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for an impartial inquiry committee to investigate the rape and murder of the doctor. Additionally, they have demanded increased security for doctors and health workers across the state and capital punishment for the perpetrator.