The appointment of Dr. Sandip Ghosh as the new principal of Calcutta National Medical College & Hospital (CNMCH) has sparked significant unrest among students and junior doctors, who have vowed to prevent him from taking office.
On Monday evening, students and junior doctors locked the principal’s office from the outside and staged a protest to block Ghosh’s entry. The demonstrators formed human barricades throughout the CNMCH premises on Tuesday morning to ensure that Ghosh could not assume his new role.
Local Trinamool Congress legislator Swarnakamal Saha and State Disaster Management Minister Javed Khan visited the protest site in an attempt to mediate and persuade the protesters to end their demonstration. Despite these efforts, the protesters remained steadfast in their opposition to Ghosh’s appointment.
One junior doctor express concerns, stating, “We demand that Ghosh not be assigned any administrative role within the state health services. His appointment as principal of CNMCH, or any other medical college in the state, reconsider.” Another protester voiced fears that CNMCH might face similar issues as R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital under Ghosh’s leadership.
The protesting staff members are currently observing a cease-work action but have ensured that emergency services at the hospital remain unaffected.
Dr. Sandip Ghosh at the principal position at CNMCH through a notification from the West Bengal Health Department, issue shortly after his resignation from R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital on Monday.
In related news, a two-member delegation from the National Commission for Women (NCW) further led by member Delina Khondup, arrived at R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital to engage with Dr. Suhrita Paul, the newly appointed principal there.