Doctor murder: Cease-work by doctors in Bengal hospitals continues, OPD services hit

Kolkata, Aug 14 (PTI) Healthcare services across West Bengal were disrupted on Wednesday as doctors continued their cease-work, protesting the rape-murder of a woman doctor.

Long queues were seen at outpatient department (OPD) ticket counters in government hospitals, where senior doctors joined their junior colleagues in the protest.

Private hospitals also kept their outpatient departments “closed” to express solidarity with the agitating junior doctors at state-run hospitals.

“We have no new demands. It appears that attempts are being made to protect certain people. Some people have tried to tamper with evidence by starting construction on the same floor of RG Kar hospital where our colleague was raped and murdered. We see no reason to stop our protest,” an agitating doctor told PTI.

The West Bengal Joint Platform of Doctors called for a cease-work at OPDs across all government and private hospitals in the state. Junior and senior doctors, interns, and house staff wore black armbands and chanted slogans, demanding justice for the victim.

“Emergency services are still operational, but we must protest to ensure justice for the victim. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to some patients,” a protester said.

Similar scenes were reported at SSKM Hospital, Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, National Medical College and Hospital, and other medical facilities across the state.

In private hospitals, including Manipal, Medica, Peerless, and RN Tagore, doctors, nurses, and staff also wore black badges and marched from Mukundapur to Ruby Crossing, demanding justice.

“We stand in solidarity with the incident at RGKMCH. As part of our protest, routine OPD services at all our Bengal units will remain closed. However, we are committed to ensuring care for emergency cases,” said Debashis Dhar, senior vice-president of ILS Hospitals.

OPD services at all Disha Eye Hospitals were also closed on Wednesday, confirmed Dr. Debasish Bhattacharya, chairman and MD of Disha Eye Hospitals.

On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).