Representatives from 12 doctors’ associations in West Bengal and Chief Secretary Manoj Pant held a crucial meeting at Swasthya Bhavan on Monday, but failed to reach any decision. The state government is reluctant to give a time frame for solving the deadlock, sources said.
Doctors’ representatives said they were concerned that Health Secretary NS Nigam was not present and asked Pant to visit the junior medics who were on hunger strike and speak to them directly. Government sources elaborated that Nigam had gone to New Delhi for a Supreme Court hearing on the RG Kar issue scheduled for Tuesday.
The president of the West Bengal Doctors’ Forum, Dr Kaushik Chaki, described the meeting as ‘infruitful’. “We requested the state government to let someone—preferably a high official—meet the fasting doctors. However, the Chief Secretary said he could not give any deadline.” he added.
“After the meeting, Pant told reporters that he had suggested the doctors advise their junior colleagues to call off their hunger strike.
We had an in-depth discussion for nearly two-and-half hours, and various grievances have been aired, said Pant. “We have noted the grievances, while seven out of their ten demands have already been redressed, but they insist on timelines for the remaining three, which are administrative in nature and need thought so that we cannot commit to a deadline now.”
We told them we were well aware of their grievances and asked them to withdraw the hunger strike for health’s sake. “Let them return so that we can work toward our shared objectives. Our intentions are clear,” Pant underlined.
A three-member panel led by Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and including other senior officials of the state health department attended the meeting with Pant.
With inputs from PTI.