West Bengal: Junior Doctors On Hunger Strike Should Be Admitted To Hospital, Says Govt Medical Team

Junior doctors take out 'Abhaya Parikrama' rally to protest against RG Kar rape and murder case during the Durga Puja festival, in Kolkata on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)

Kolkata: A team of specialist doctors was sent by the West Bengal government to the venue of the hunger strike by junior doctors in central Kolkata to assess the health condition of the seven medics who have been on hunger strike for the past five days.

One of the four members of the team said the doctors on fast unto death should be hospitalised before their condition worsens.

Amid the Durga Puja festivities, seven junior doctors in Kolkata and two in North Bengal have been fasting for the last 122 hours since Saturday to press for their demands including a safer working environment in hospitals.

"We came here to assess their health situation. It is quite natural that their health parameters wouldn’t be very good after five days of fasting. We are like their parents, and as elders, we have suggested that they should be admitted to a hospital before their condition worsens," Diptendra Sarkar, a member of the medical team, told reporters.

The junior doctors, agitating over the alleged rape and murder of their colleague at the RG Kar Hospital, continued their fast unto death for the fifth consecutive day on Thursday.

The junior doctors began their hunger strike on Saturday evening at Dorina Crossing in Dharmatala, in the heart of Kolkata, after ending a total cease-work that had paralyzed healthcare services.

The state government convened a meeting on Wednesday evening with the protesters but failed to break the deadlock.

Following the meeting, which was chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, the protesting doctors alleged that they had received nothing concrete from the state government except "verbal assurances."