RG Kar hunger strike: Bengal govt seeks daily updates on condition of hospitalised junior doctors

Kolkata, Oct 18 (IANS) The West Bengal government has sought daily health updates of the junior doctors who had been hospitalised after their condition deteriorated amid the fast-unto-death agitations, both at Esplanade in Kolkata as well as Siliguri in Darjeeling district, in support of their demands on the ghastly rape and murder of a junior woman doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in August this year.In a notification issued by state Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam on Friday, the Principals of the state-run medical colleges and hospitals have been advised that proper medical care and treatment, as per the standard protocol of medical management, is extended in all such cases."A status report in all such cases should be submitted to the department at least two times daily. Principals and MSVPs must personally ensure proper treatment in all such cases," the order from the Health Secretary read.Incidentally, the replacement of Nigam as the Health Secretary is one of ten demands of the junior doctors in support of which a group of them are currently undergoing a hunger strike.A total of eight junior doctors are continuing with the hunger strike to date, out of whom seven are at Esplanade in central Kolkata and one is at the campus of North Bengal Medical College & Hospital at Siliguri. So far six junior doctors, who were participating in the hunger strike which started on the evening of October 5, had to be hospitalised following severe deteriorations in their medical conditions. One of them, Aniket Mahato of R.G. Kar, who was the first to be hospitalised, was released from the hospital on Thursday afternoon. However, the doctors have advised him to remain under strict medical and diet restrictions for some time. Mahato has also been advised not to resume fasting.--IANSsrc/vd

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