Kolkata: The fast-unto-death by agitating junior doctors in West Bengal entered the 15th day on Saturday, October 19 over demands for justice for the deceased post-graduate trainee of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and workplace security.
So far, six fasting doctors have been hospitalised after their health conditions deteriorated.
Eight doctors are currently on indefinite fast while demanding that the state government act constructively by October 21 to end the impasse.
One of the medics said that if their demands are not met by Monday, they will be forced to strike across the state on October 22.
“We want the chief minister (Mamata Banerjee) to sit for a discussion and implement all our demands”, a junior doctor said.
Several theatre personalities also held a symbolic hunger strike on Saturday to express solidarity with the protesting doctors.
The agitating doctors planned to hold a mega rally on Sunday to press for their demands, which include the removal of Health Secretary N S Nigam among others.
Their other demands include establishing a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, implementing a bed vacancy monitoring system, and forming task forces to ensure essential provisions such as CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.
Before their ongoing fast-unto-death, the junior doctors went on a cease work following the rape-murder of their fellow medic at R G Kar hospital on August 9.
They ended their stir on September 21 after 42 days, following assurances from the state government that it would investigate their demands.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Marziya Sharif | 
