Doctors in Kolkata resume strike, demand urgent hospital safety reforms

Doctors in Kolkata have resumed their strike to demand justice for a murdered colleague and push for critical safety improvements in hospitals across West Bengal. The strike, which began on Tuesday, has reignited widespread protests following the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old female doctor, sparking outrage and calls for urgent reforms.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, representing about 7,000 physicians, reinstated the strike after temporarily resuming partial services last month due to the state’s flood crisis. However, the group has made it clear that their patience has worn thin, with their demands for improved safety measures still unmet.

“Unless we receive clear action from the government on safety, patient services, and the politics of fear, we will have no choice but to continue our full strike,” the organization said in a stern statement, reflecting the growing frustration among medical professionals.

The protests were sparked by the horrific crime in Kolkata, which sent shockwaves across the country. The brutal attack has drawn comparisons to the infamous 2012 Delhi bus gang rape and murder, which similarly ignited nationwide outrage and protests.

Despite promises from the state government to address the doctors’ concerns, union spokesman Aniket Mahato criticized the authorities for their failure to follow through on basic safety measures, such as installing better lighting, CCTV cameras, and increased security in hospitals. “The state government has failed to provide safety and security in the workplace,” Mahato told AFP, underscoring the sense of betrayal doctors feel over the lack of action.

Doctors have vowed to continue their strike and plan further demonstrations, insisting that the government deliver on its pledges and secure justice for their slain colleague. Protests have spread beyond Kolkata, reaching major cities like New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra, amplifying the pressure on authorities.

India’s Supreme Court has intervened, establishing a hospital safety task force in response to the protests. During its latest hearing, the court urged the West Bengal government to implement the necessary safety measures by October 15, signaling that time is running out for local officials to address the crisis.

The public’s criticism of the West Bengal government’s handling of the investigation has been fierce, with the state’s police chief and top health ministry officials already dismissed in the wake of the controversy. One suspect has been detained in connection with the murder, but the outcry over hospital safety remains at the heart of the doctors’ strike.

As the protests intensify, the medical community in Kolkata and beyond stands united, demanding that the safety of their workplaces no longer be treated as an afterthought, but as a priority.