Kolkata: The junior doctors sent an email to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant reminding him of their unmet demands discussed during their September 18 meeting five days after partially resuming duties at government-run hospitals in West Bengal following a 42-day ‘cease work’. In the two-page letter, representatives of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum (WBJDF) stated, “We would like to mention that no action has been taken/no order has been passed in regard to some of the important demands placed and agreed upon by both the parties.” The junior doctors emphasised that during the September 18 meeting, which involved a special task force presided over by Pant, their key demands were verbally agreed upon.
In the email the junior doctors reiterated demands for the formation of a central inquiry committee to address the alleged “threat culture” in all medical colleges across the state. The letter also highlighted the need for individual colleges to establish ‘college-level enquiry committees,’ which should include undergraduate students and resident doctors to investigate those involved in fostering this environment. Furthermore, the WBJDF reminded Pant of their demand for the state government to form an inquiry committee against the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) and West Bengal Health Recruitment Board (WBHRB) members accused of promoting the threat culture and running health syndicates, insisting this should be done within the next seven working days. Additional demands included the establishment of a college-level task force or monitoring committee in every medical college and hospital, as well as implementing a proper and transparent transfer policy for all recruited medical personnel.