KOLKATA: A day after junior doctors threatened to go for complete cease-work in all government and private hospitals in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday appealed to the protesting medics over the phone to withdraw their fast unto-death.Hours after making the appeal, Banerjee also invited the junior doctors to meet with her at Nabanna on Monday, saying both can hold discussing to resolve the impasse over the RG Kar hospital rape-murder.In a letter addressed to the junior doctors, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant invited them for talks on Monday at 5 pm. Pant said that most of the doctors’ demands had already been addressed. “The Hon’ble chief minister hopes that this message will be received with the understanding that the junior doctors will immediately end the hunger strike in the interest of public health and well-being. All the points raised by you have been discussed and responded to,” he said. Manoj Pant visited the protest site to meet the protesters in afternoon and the Chief Minister spoke to the junior doctors through his mobile phone in the presence of Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty. Speaking to the doctors, Banerjee said, “Everybody has the right to protest, but it shouldn’t affect healthcare services. I would request you all to withdraw your fast.”The junior doctors are demanding the removal of state Health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam, in addition to other reforms. In response, Banerjee acknowledged their frustration but said, “You know why I did not remove the health secretary. It is not possible to remove everyone in a department at once. We had earlier removed the DHS and DME. Please rise above politics and rejoin work.” Banerjee said the demand for conducting students’ body elections in all state-run medical colleges has been considered, saying the process can be completed in four months.She said that government’s assurances on most of the demands cannot be written in pen and paper as they involve administrative work and government approvals. She said the doctors need to to rely on the version of state government representatives. Banerjee also assured that display boards for patient vacancies in each government hospital will be installed as the Centre has given funds for upgrading hospital infrastructure.The Chief Minister said the common people feel helpless if they do not get medical services at the state-run hospitals. “I am in favour of humanity. I also want justice. But at the same time the treatment of the common people will have to be ensured. So I am again requesting you to withdraw the hunger-strike and get back to work,” she said.The junior doctors have been on a fast-unto-death for the past 15 days, demanding justice for their deceased colleague and calling for systemic changes in the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
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