KOLKATA: The West Bengal government on Saturday said the mass resignation of doctors of state-run hospitals is not valid and it must be submitted individually according to service rules.
Several doctors from state-run hospitals have submitted collectively signed "resignation" letters to the government seeking justice for the post-graduate trainee who was raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and in support of junior medics on a fast-unto-death to press for their demands.
"Unless an employee sends in his/her resignation personally to the employer as per service rules, it is not a resignation letter," Alapan Bandyopadhyay, chief advisor to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, told reporters at the state secretariat Nabanna here.
He clarified that the letters sent by the doctors were merely collective signatures without addressing specific issues.
Bandyopadhyay emphasised the government's intention to clarify the situation amidst confusion regarding the mass resignations by senior doctors from various government hospitals, including RG Kar Medical College and IPGMER and SSKM Hospital.
Earlier this week, a group of senior doctors at RG Kar Medical College sent a collectively signed "mass resignation" letter in solidarity with their protesting junior colleagues. Subsequently, similar letters were sent by doctors from other state-run hospitals.
Junior doctors at several government hospitals in the state are on a fast-unto-death protest demanding justice for their murdered colleague, the resignation of the state's health secretary, and enhanced workplace security.
The government asserted that healthcare services in state-run hospitals have not been disrupted, as senior doctors continue to work normally.
The junior doctors had called off their 'total cease work' at state-run medical colleges and hospitals on October 4.
The mass resignations are being interpreted as a symbolic gesture of solidarity from senior doctors with their junior counterparts, the government said.
Junior doctor on fast admitted to hospital
A junior doctor, who was observing a fast-unto-death in protest over the rape-murder of a woman medic at RG Kar hospital, was admitted to a healthcare facility on Saturday after his condition deteriorated, an official said.
Alok Varma from North Bengal Medical College and Hospital became the second medic of those who have been on the indefinite fast to be hospitalised after Aniket Mahato was admitted to the ICU of RG Kar hospital three days back.
Parichoy Panda from Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan and Alolika Ghorui from Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital joined the protest, taking the total number of medics on indefinite fast across the state to 11, including the two who have been hospitalised.
The junior doctors commenced their fast-unto-death in the Esplanade area in central Kolkata on October 5.
The protesting doctors have been demanding justice for the deceased woman medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam.
Their other demands include the establishment of a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, the implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and the formation of task forces to ensure essential provisions for CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.
They are also demanding increased police protection in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel, and swift filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.
The junior doctors went on to cease work following the rape-murder of a fellow medic at RG Kar medical college on August 9.
They ended their stir after 42 days on September 21 following assurances from the state government to look into their demands.
The healthcare services in West Bengal was severely disrupted due to the cease work by junior doctors.
The Indian Medical Association had said that the demands raised by the doctors were possible to be met by the West Bengal government and not insurmountable.
Even the medics of several private hospitals in Kolkata had shown solidarity with the agitating doctors.
Medics, junior and senior alike, have hit the streets demanding justice for the deceased trainee doctor.
