Gathering near the hunger strike munch of junior doctors, who are protesting over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor, interacts with the media, in Kolkata, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Kolkata: Over 75 senior doctors at West Bengal’s Kalyani JNM Hospital have threatened a mass resignation, seeking justice for the R G Kar hospital victim, and expressing solidarity with junior medics on a fast-unto-death to press for their demands.
A total of 77 doctors of the medical facility have informed the Registrar of West Bengal Health University via email about their decision to stop work, starting October 14.
They cited “mental devastation” and “inability to work in the current state of mind” among the reasons behind the move.
In their communication, the doctors said they stand in solidarity with the junior medics on a fast-unto-death, whose health is deteriorating. They also expressed concern over the “apparent lack of visible effort from the state government to resolve the issue”.
The agitators have been demanding justice for the R G Kar hospital medic who was raped and murdered, immediate removal of Health Secretary N S Nigam, workplace security and other measures.
The Kalyani JNM Hospital doctors have given authorities time till October 14 to take steps towards resolving the problem, failing which they plan to formally submit their mass resignation.
Several doctors from state-run hospitals have already submitted collectively signed "resignation" letters to the West Bengal government over the issue in the last few days.
The state government had on Saturday said the mass resignation of doctors was not valid and it must be submitted individually, according to service rules.