Normalcy return to government hospitals in Bengal

Kolkata, Jun.18 (HS): As expected the health and medical services in West Bengal, which remained crippled for a week  because of the Junior doctors’ strike till yesterday, is fast limping back to normal since this morning with the doctors in every government hospital in the state joining their duties and attending patients.

After making a round in some government hospitals in the city including those at Nil Ratan Sarkar (NRS) Medical College and Hospital and the Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial (SSKM) Hospital, the epicenters of the junior doctors strike since 10 June night, Hindusthan Samachar correspondent found here today that absolute normalcy has returned to  the hospitals and  long queues of patients in the outdoor departments of both the hospitals were seen like any other normal days.

Each section was also  manned by both senior and junior doctors of the respective department to treat large number of patients.

Normal work have also begun in the indoor departments of both the hospitals along with others where patients were being admitted like any other normal day since morning.

As the security to both doctors and the non medical staff in every government hospital was the main demand of the striking medicos following the brutal attack on two of their colleagues at NRS  hospital on 10 June night  by the relatives of an 85 year old patient following his death, large number of police have been posted both outside and inside the main gates of both the hospitals here, and steps have been taken to allow only two relatives to accompany each patient in the hospital as per the new norm.

Though no representative of junior doctors was available for comment in either of the hospital, informed sources told HS that following yesterday’s two hour long meeting between Chief minister Mamata Banerjee and 31 representatives of striking doctors at state Secretariat Nabanna, the doctors had decided to withdraw their strike from today. They also agreed  to wait  for a few days to see that the government was serious enough to implement their promises and take several corrective measures soon in accordance with their demands.

As a result large number of patients across the state who faced immense difficulties for the past one week in absence of any treatment, have heaved a sign of relief following the withdrawal of their doctors’ strike and made a beeline in every hospital as before seeking treatment.

‘We have full faith on the promises made by the Chief minister, which was telecast live in every news channel  yesterday’, said General Secretary of  West Bengal Junior Doctors Association Sandip Saha and hoped that as promised by her in front of other top officials of the state government, all steps would soon be implemented to ensure our fool proof security as well vast improvement of the working condition in every government hospital for the betterment of mankind during their illness’.

Also thanking the Chief minister for taking the special initiative to end the strike as well as the distress of the people, serious cardiac patient  Rabindranath Ghosh said our cudos to both the Chief minister and the striking doctors for ending their miseries within hours of the much awaited meeting.