11 october 2024 : One of the junior doctors, who has been on hunger strike since Saturday in protest over the alleged rape and murder of a colleague at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH), was hospitalised early Friday as his condition worsened.
“Dr. Aniket Mahato has been admitted to the critical care unit (CCU) at RGKMCH. His condition is serious, and we are hopeful that he will respond to treatment,” said Soma Mukherjee, who leads the medical team overseeing Mahato’s health.
Mahato has been suffering from severe dehydration, abdominal pain, and cramps. “We detected high levels of ketones in his urine, indicating extreme dehydration of his cells. He also has elevated blood pressure, which could worsen the situation. While treatment has begun promptly, some damage has already occurred,” Mukherjee explained.
Junior doctors had initially stopped working after the alleged rape and murder on August 9 sparked nationwide outrage. The strike was partially suspended after 41 days, following the removal of senior police and health officials and assurances from the state government regarding hospital security and infrastructure improvements. However, the strike resumed on October 1 after a junior doctor was assaulted at a government hospital in the wake of a patient’s death.
Although the strike ended, the doctors began a hunger strike on Saturday to further press their demands.
Debasish Halder, one of the protesting doctors, stated that in addition to the hospitalisation of one colleague, eight others remain on hunger strike, with their conditions also deteriorating. “Why won’t the state government take responsibility for this? We met with Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on Wednesday, but only received verbal promises. No clear directives or deadlines were given. How many more doctors need to be hospitalised before the government acts with compassion?” Halder questioned.
The protesting doctors are calling for improved security and infrastructure to ensure better patient care.
The West Bengal chapter of the Indian Medical Association has threatened to take drastic steps if the deadlock is not resolved. Despite a meeting between the state government and the striking doctors on Wednesday, no significant progress was made. Chief Secretary Pant noted, “While a single meeting can’t provide all the solutions, we’ve made some progress by initiating talks.”