In a dramatic display of solidarity, more than 100 senior doctors, including esteemed faculty members, resigned from two leading medical institutions in West Bengal on Wednesday.
Their resignations were a direct response to the ongoing protests and fast-unto-death by junior doctors advocating for justice following the rape and murder of a fellow doctor in August.
The mass resignation involved 70 senior doctors from Calcutta Medical College & Hospital and at least 40 from North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri, located in the Darjeeling district.
Sources indicate that the total count of resignations from North Bengal Medical may rise, as more details emerge.
As the situation developed, senior doctors at Midnapore Medical College & Hospital in West Midnapore prepared to submit their resignations later that day.
Doctors Call For Action On Junior Doctors’ Safety Concerns
Earlier, on Tuesday, 50 senior doctors from RG Kar Hospital had already stepped down, including representatives from the institution’s faculty.
A senior doctor from Calcutta Medical College expressed the gravity of the situation, stating, “We have tendered mass resignations now. If the state government wants, we will be forwarding our individual resignations at a later stage. If anything happens to the junior doctors fasting at Esplanade in Kolkata, who will take the responsibility of that? So our request to the state government is to take necessary steps before the matter takes a serious turn.”
Another resigning doctor lamented the lack of seriousness from the state government regarding the protests, asserting, “It is unfortunate that the protests over the rape and murder have been going on for such a long time without any substantial action from the government. We are genuinely worried about our seven junior doctors who are holding a fast-unto-death.”
The resignations signal growing unrest within the medical community in West Bengal and highlight ongoing tensions between healthcare professionals and state authorities, particularly concerning issues of safety and justice for their colleagues.
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