Doctors' strike updates: Junior doctors at NRS hospital call off protests after meeting Mamata Banerjee

Expect govt to solve issues in due time, says NRS doctors

Calling off their week-long strike on Monday, the junior doctors at NRS hospital said in a statement, "We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the chief minister. After an enormous movement, the meeting and discussions with our chief minister met a logical end. Considering everything, we expect the government to solve the issues as discussed in due time."

Junior doctors at NRS hospital call off strike

Junior doctors of NRS hospital announced that they are calling off the strike following their meeting with Mamata Banerjee. 

Mamata Banerjee on her way to hospital to meet injured doctor

West Bengal chief minister will soon visit the doctor who was injured in an attack by the relatives of a patient who died at NRS Medical College and Hospital.

Will visit NRS hospital after withdrawal of protest: Mamata

According to CNN-News18, Mamata Banerjee said after the meeting, "I am glad that this meeting took place in such a cordial atmosphere. I am expecting you (doctors) will withdraw your agitation after you go back. I will visit NRS hospital once you withdraw the strike."

Bengal medicos to take call on strike after reaching NRS hospital

After meeting Mamata Banerjee in Nabanna, the protesting junior doctors have planned to announce their decision on the strike after getting back to NRS Medical College in Kolkata.

Mamata-doctors meeting ends

As the meeting ended in Nabanna, doctors were quoted as saying by CNN-News18, "We are satisfied and reassured by this meeting, but we will decide on the outcome of our movement after we go back to NRS hospital."

'Leave it to me on when and where I should visit': Mamata on demand of doctors to meet injured colleague at hospital

The doctors who met Mamata Banerjee on Monday also demanded that she pay a visit to the junior doctor critically injured during the NRS hospital incident. To this, according to CNN-News18, she said, "You leave it to me on when and where I should visit, but keep in mind that it has never happened that an incident has taken place and I have not visited that spot."

Five arrested so far in NRS hospital incident: Mamata

Mamata said during the meeting that the state government has taken adequate measures in view of the assault on NRS doctors last week. She further said that , five people involved in the incident have been arrested so far.

Junior doctors demand exemplary punishment for those who assaulted NRS medicos

PTI reported that the joint forum of junior doctors told Mamata Banerjee at the meeting that they were scared to work, and demanded want exemplary punishment for those who assaulted NRS doctors.

Mamata accepts proposal to set up ‘Grievance Redressal Cells’ in hospitals

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accepted a proposal by doctors to set up ‘grievance redressal cells in government hospitals.

By SS Parveen/101Reporters

Mamata directs police commissioner to deploy nodal officer at every hospital
In the meeting with protesting doctors, Mamata Banerjee instructed the Commissioner Anuj Kumar to deploy a nodal police officer at every hospital as a measure to ensure the security of working doctors. 

By SS Parveen/101Reporters

Mamata suggests night-time vigilance for hospitals, says report

According to CNN-News18, during her meet with protesting junior doctors in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee suggested night-time vigilance for every hospital. "If an on-duty doctor succumbs to injury from such attacks, it is the humane duty of the government to provide job to the victim's kin," she was also quoted as saying at the meeting.

Mamata suggests reinforced gates at emergency departments, PR persons to interact with patient's relatives

CNN-News18 quoted Mamata Banerjee as telling the protesting doctors at the meeting,"I have suggested not more than two relatives inside emergency and I urge you to frame a package to set up reinforced gates at emergency departments. I suggest, there should be dedicated PR persons at district-level hospitals to interact with patients’ relatives instead of doctors doing it."

No intention to target young doctors: Mamata at meeting with Bengal medicos

While the meeting is underway, CNN-News18 quoted Mamata Banerjee as telling the protesting doctors, "No false cases have been registered against doctors. Young doctors are our future. There is no intention to target young doctors."

Mamata's meeting with junior doctors underway

Mamata Banerjee is holding a meeting with the protesting junior doctors at Nabanna. According to CNN-News18, West Bengal commissioner and DGP are also present at meeting, along with health secretary.

Only ABP Ananda allowed inside 'closed-door meeting' with doctors

Backtracking on her promise to allow media coverage of the meeting with protesting doctors, Mamata Banerjee on Monday has allowed only ABP Ananda inside the meeting.

Centre has written to states asking them to bring laws to protect doctors, says Harsh Vardhan

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan told CNN-News18, "We have already written to all the states. We're requesting all chief ministers to make specific laws to protect doctors. At central level, if we can do something, we'll revisit the issue. Eveyrbody has to be sure about it that we are well-intentioned. The aim is to ensure that such incidents are never repeated in this country."

Govt to provide feed for live coverage of meeting

According to News18, the feed for the live coverage of the meeting of the junior doctors on strike and Mamata Banerjee will be taken from the government and will be flashed on all channels.

Doctors on their way to meet Mamata at Secretariat

The junior doctors on strike at NRS hospital in Kolkata are on their way to meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna​, the state Secretariat. The doctors cheered as their vehicles left the hospital premises.

Mamata gives in to doctors' demand, agrees to live coverage of meeting

Mamata Banerjee has finally agreed to meet the protesting junior doctors of NRS hospital in Kolkata in the presence of media. Earlier, she had said she was not comfortable with holding the meeting with reporters present, but the protesting doctors were firm on their demand, reported News18.

A letter the principal of the medical college and hospital received from the Additional Chief Secretary of the West Bengal government said the chief minister had also agreed to meet four representatives of medical colleges in Kolkata, as opposed to the two invited earlier, the report added. 

123 doctors resign from Siliguri's North Bengal Medical College and Hospital

The protests at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital have worsened since Mamata Banerjee's ultimatum to the agitating junior doctors to return to work on 13 June. As many as 123 doctors have tendered their resignation at NBMCH, which is Siliguri's premier healthcare institute.

There has been a significant dip in the number of patients getting admitted to the hospital since the agitations began. With more than 800 beds at the hospital, it sees around 200 patients admitted on a normal day. Since last Wednesday, the number has been dropping steadily — 138 on 12 June, 117 on 13 June, 71 on 14 June and 82 on 15 June.

Input by Roshan Gupta/101Reporters

Emergency services at Bhopal hospitals bear brunt of doctors' strike

Health facilities at government hospitals in Bhopal, including at AIIMS and Hamid Hospital, are affected due to the doctors' strike. A huge number of patients are gathered near the emergency room as OPD facilities are closed. 

Patients accused the hospitals of not giving them any prior notice about the strike, especially to those who have come from remote villages and are now left with no choice but to go to private hospitals for treatment. Emergency facilities are collapsing due to the heavy rush at these hospitals. 

Input by Manish Chandra Mishra/101Reporters

'No new condition can be met now'

Dr PK Mitra, the Director of Medical Education of the West Bengal government, has arrived at NRS hospital in Kolkata to meet the junior doctors on protest. Referring to their demand for the presence of national media at the meeting with Mamata Banerjee, he said he had already communicated their stand to the chief minister and "no new conditions can be met now".

Inout by SS Parveen/101Reporters

Health services at a standstill in Lucknow

Health services in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow have come to a standstill, with doctors at all government hospitals protesting in solidarity with their colleagues in West Bengal. Doctors at King George Medical University and Ram Manohar Lohia Research Centre have boycotted work, and a large number of patients have not been attended to.

Dr Sishir Chauhan, a junior resident at the RML hospital in Lucknow said, "Doctors are being treated like stray dogs for saving lives, and this cannot be tolerated anymore. The West Bengal chief minister should hold discussions with the doctors at an open place in the presence of media, and the Government of India should ensure security to every doctor of the country."

Input by Saurabh Sharma/101Reporters

Protesting doctors unlikely to attend meeting with Mamata unless govt agrees to media presence

Junior doctors are likely to boycott the 3 pm meeting with Mamata Banerjee at the Secretariat, even if the meeting is recorded according to the statement issued by the Director of Medical Education. One of the protesting doctors said they are likely give the meeting a miss as the condition on the presence of media has not been met. The doctors specifically want the national media to be present at the meeting and will issue a press release on this soon.

Input by SS Parveen/101Reporters

Doctors hold silent protest march in Goa

40,000 doctors boycott work in Maharashtra

More than 40,000 doctors in Maharashtra boycotted work on Monday as part of the call for a strike by the IMA in support of their agitating colleagues in West Bengal. Doctors from various government and private hospitals in the state are mainly boycotting OPD and other non-essential health services, officials said.

Bengal govt invites representatives of all medical colleges to meet Mamata

After junior doctors of NRS hospital held a press conference announcing that they will not hold a closed-door meeting with Mamata Banerjee at the Secretariat, the Director of Medical Education issued a statement, inviting two representatives each of all medical colleges in the city to meet the chief minister at Nabanna at 3 pm today. 

"The discussion will focus on all your demands. I also confirm that the discussion and resolutions taken in this meeting shall be recorded and duly communicated to you," read the letter addressed to 'The protesting doctors'. 

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Junior doctor assaulted last Monday 'recovering well'

The condition of Dr Paribaha Mukherjee, who was critically injured in an assault by the family of a deceased patient last Monday at a Kolkata hospital, is recovering well. His reports show no additional problems, a medical bulletin issued by The Institute of Neurosciences said.

Bengal govt must promise 'live telecast' of meeting with Mamata, say protesting doctors

"The government has to assure us that the meeting will be live telecast on channels. Only then will we will attend the meeting. They have yet to clear their stand on whether the media will be allowed at the meeting. If we receive an official letter asking us to join the meeting, we will hold another general body meeting to decide whether to attend it," a junior doctor at Kolkata's NRS hospital said.

Input by Amita Ghose/101Reporters

All leaves of Central govt doctors cancelled

Bengal doctors on protest reject Mamata's call for closed-door meeting

The junior doctors on strike in West Bengal have rejected Mamata Banerjee's request for a closed-door meeting at state Secretariat Nabanna. At the general body meeting of junior doctors of Kolkata's NRS hospital, they decided to not attend the meeting with the chief minister at 3 pm. 

"We are getting information that Mamata Banerjee has called us today to Nabanna for a meeting, but officially, we have not received any such letter. We are saying once again that we don't want any closed-door meetings. We want to have a discussion in the presence of the media," they said in a statement.

Input by SS Parveen/101Reporters

What does the PIL in Supreme Court seeking?

'State govts must ensure protection of doctors'

The PIL filed in the Supreme Court, to be heard tomorrow, demands safety of doctors across the country by obligating state governments to ensure their well-being in the line of duty. The plea says states should ensure that doctors, especially at government hospitals, don't have to face the anger of families if patients die due to medical reasons. It emphasises that doctors are working only for the public, which is why state governments must ensure their protection.

Supreme Court to hear PIL on doctors' strike tomorrow

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation tomorrow (Tuesday) on the ongoing doctors' strike across the country. The plea, filed by advocate Alok Srivastava, seeks legal protection for doctors against assaults, like the one faced by junior doctors at NRS hospital in Kolkata, which triggered the strike.

Law protecting doctors from violence

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had, on Saturday, asked states to consider enacting specific legislation to protect doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence. The IMA has demanded a comprehensive Central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff.

Why are doctors on strike?

Junior doctors across West Bengal are observing a strike in protest against an assault on two of their colleagues at NRS hospital in Kolkata allegedly by the family members of a patient who died last Monday. Doctors across the country, including ones from AIIMS in Delhi as well as the Indian Medical Association, are also protesting in solidarity with their fraternity in Bengal against the treatment meted out to them.

Mamata 'not comfortable' with media presence at meeting with doctors

On Sunday, the protesting doctors in West Bengal left it to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to decide the venue of their meeting on Monday. However, the contention between the two sides is now on the presence of media at the meeting. Medicos want the meeting to be held in the presence of media and recorded, whereas the chief minister is "not comfortable" with media presence.

West Bengal doctors' protest enters Day 7

Services continued to remain affected for the seventh day on Monday at emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals and private medical facilities in West Bengal, leaving several patients in the lurch.

Junior doctors across the state are observing a strike in protest against an assault on two of their colleagues at NRS hospital in Kolkata allegedly by the family members of a patient who died last Monday.

IMA strike to affect OPDs, OTs; emergency services to function normally

The IMA strike withdrawing non-essential health services across the country will affect all outpatient departments (OPDs), routine operation theatre services and ward visits for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday. Emergency and casualty services will continue to function.

IMA to stage nationwide protest today

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) will hold a nationwide protest on Monday against the beating of doctors in West Bengal, said Dr Ranjan Sharma, president of the doctors' national body, on Sunday. He added that they will also stress for the enactment of a protection law for doctors and amendments to the Indian Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure.