🐻West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday held a meeting with the junior and senior doctors along with medical students in Kolkata where she announced a salary hike for government doctors in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. Banerjee, who is also the health minister of the state, announced a fund of Rs 2 crore for each medical college in the state for their cultural and sporting activities.
ꦿDuring the event, Banerjee brought up the RG Kar rape and murder case where an on-duty medic inside state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital died in August last year and demanded strict punishment for the culprit. The incident triggered widespread agitation by doctors who demanded justice for the deceased, workplace security and redressal of several grievances.
🉐The doctors from the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Forum, who held a sit-in and fast onto death demanding justice for the RG Kar case victim boycotted this meeting. Later, speaking to reporters, one of the junior doctors said, "If you look at the salary structure of junior doctors, residents, and PG trainees in the country, you will notice that their salaries in West Bengal are low. So, this hike is natural. We did not demand a salary increase. We want improvement in the healthcare system..."
𒁏CM Mamata Banerjee received a lot of backlash from the medical fraternity for how her governemnt handled the case last year, while addressing the gathering of senior and junior doctors and medical students today, she highlighted her government's efforts to ensure justice and emphasised the introduction of the Aparajita Bill, which seeks capital punishment for rape convicts.
🔴The trial court has sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment till death after he was convicted of rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The case is now pending in the Calcutta High Court.
What Did CM Banerjee Say?
🍃Lauding the roles of the medics in providing healthcare services, Banerjee announced a salary hike of Rs 15,000 for senior doctors, and Rs 10,000 for junior doctors including the interns, house staff and post-graduate trainees.
ꦗ"Senior doctors teach the junior doctors many things. I will request the senior doctors not to leave everything on the juniors be it a C-section or a cardiac surgery. Give at least eight hours of your service for government hospitals and then carry on with your private practice. I don't have any problem with that," she said.
♈Banerjee also extended the distance limit for government doctors' private practice from 20 to 30 kilometres from their workplace.
♉Referring to the death of a woman and four others falling ill after childbirth due to the alleged administration of 'expired' intravenous fluid on them at the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital earlier this year, Banerjee emphasised that "medical negligence" was responsible for that incident.
🍷Banerjee revoked the suspension of 12 doctors of Midnapore Medical College and Hospital in connection with the death of the woman.
🐽"There was definitely medical negligence in Midnapore Medical College and Hospital matter. An investigation is being done and for that, I will not say anything more. Some of the junior doctors were suspended and police have probed into their roles. Thinking about their future, I have decided to withdraw the suspension," she said.
🍨Banerjee started addressing the programme with the RG Kar hospital issue.
♕"I extend my condolences to the family of the sister who was killed in RG Kar hospital. We demand proper punishment in this case," Banerjee said.
🌄"I had also taken to the streets in protest against the incident. Our government had passed the Aparajita Bill, but it is still pending (with the President)," she said.
The Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill, 2024 was unanimously passed by the West Bengal Assembly in September last. The Bill proposes capital punishment for rape convicts if their crime 🎃results in the victim's death or leaves her in a vegetative state.
Earlier this month, several Trinamool Congress ꩲMPs met President Droupadi Murmu to discuss the pending Bill, which was sent to the President's office by Governor CV Ananda Bose.
🤪"I entrust my brothers with the responsibility of protecting our sisters and preventing such incidents in the future. Today, there is no gender disparity, which is a very positive development. The government will certainly do its part, but I believe you (brothers) can take a proactive role in this matter," she added.
Junior Doctors Respond
ไThe West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, which spearheaded the agitation following the rape and murder of their colleague, boycotted the event.
🉐Dr Asfakulla Naiya speakign about the announcement made by CM Banerjee stated, "...The salary scheme (for doctors) is different in other states. And it is different according to the central scheme. So, this hike today was already expected. Junior doctors already deserved it. However, we expected a different kind of discussion (with the CM). We wanted a discussion on how to improve healthcare services to the people..."
♉Aniket Mahato who was one of the prominent doctors that participated in the agitation said, "...In this meeting, there should have been a discussion on the healthcare system, but it did not happen...This meeting is not successful...If you look at the salary structure of junior doctors, residents, and PG trainees in the country, you will notice that their salaries in West Bengal are low. So, this hike is natural. We did not demand a salary increase. We want improvement in the healthcare system..."
🀅Monday's meeting witnessed the participation of over 2,000 junior and senior doctors from across the state.
