11 october 2024 : The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the ongoing hunger strike by junior doctors following the alleged rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The IMA urged the CM to give the protesting doctors her “immediate attention.”
“It has been nearly a week since young doctors in Bengal began their fast-unto-death protest. The Indian Medical Association fully supports their legitimate demands. These doctors deserve your immediate attention. The West Bengal government is more than capable of addressing their concerns. A peaceful environment and security are not luxuries—they are essential. We urge you, as both an elder and the head of the government, to resolve these issues with the young doctors. The entire medical community in India is watching and trusts you to act to save their lives. The IMA is ready to assist in any way we can,” the letter stated.
Aniket Mahato, one of the seven doctors who have been on hunger strike since Saturday evening, was identified as the medic whose health had worsened.
“Aniket Mahato’s condition deteriorated, and his health parameters were concerning. He was taken to RG Kar hospital and will be admitted to the ICU,” senior doctor Subarna Goswami said in a media interview.
Mahato, along with others, has been leading the protest for the past two months, seeking justice for the rape and murder victim at RG Kar.
A fellow protesting doctor said, “His pulse was very weak, and other health indicators were abnormal.”
The state health department dispatched a team of four specialist doctors to the hunger strike site at Esplanade to assess the condition of the seven doctors fasting for the past five days.
“We came to evaluate their health. After five days of fasting, it is expected that their health would be compromised. As elders, we advised them to get admitted to a hospital before their condition worsens,” said Diptendra Sarkar, a member of the medical team, speaking to reporters.
The protest began six days ago after the doctors claimed the government had not met their demands.
The woman doctor was raped and murdered in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College on August 9, and the police have arrested Sanjay Roy in connection with the crime.