In answer to mounting demonstrations from junior doctors over the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor, three senior officials of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) have been changed by the West Bengal government. This is happening as there are increasing protests at this government-run health facility where junior doctors have been on strike since August 9th, urging for justice and more security measures.
The Health Secretary, N.S. Nigam announced the immediate replacement of Prof. (Dr.) Bulbul Mukhopadhyay, who served as the Medical Superintendent and Vice Principal of RGKMCH. To quell the agitation, Mukhopadhyay was replaced by Saptarshi Chatterjee. Moreover, Dr Sandip Ghosh, who was the principal of RGKMCH earlier and had been moved to National Medical College & Hospital at Calcutta as its head, has also been suspended from his post due to the government’s measures against public disorder.
The transfers included other senior officials as well. Suhrita Paul, who was serving as the principal of RGKMCH, has been appointed as the principal of Barasat Government Medical College and Hospital. Manas Kumar Bandopadhyay has been named the new principal of RGKMCH, stepping into the role as the institution grapples with the aftermath of the tragic incident.
In another noteworthy change, Arunabha Datta Chaudhuri, the head of RGKMCH’s chest medicine department, has been moved to Malda Medical College and Hospital. These improvements were implemented in response to the requests of the protesting junior physicians, who have been pushing for accountability and enhanced safety procedures following their colleague’s death.
The demonstrations, which began following the alleged rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee doctor, have had a significant influence on the operations of RGKMCH. The younger physicians have refused to return to work until their demands are granted, causing a disruption in healthcare services at the hospital.
Health Secretary Nigam expressed the government’s desire to restore normalcy at the hospital and ensure that healthcare services are not further disrupted. He also announced enhanced security measures at the facility to address the concerns raised by the junior doctors.
“As per the demands of the junior doctors, we are bringing in some changes for which we have no objection. We want normalcy to return and healthcare services to be regularised. Security arrangements have also been enhanced,” Nigam said.
At RGKMCH, tension is still high even after the authorities are trying to calm down health care providers and, at the same time, preserve the quality of treatment. The shifting around of high-ranking officers, however, is perceived as an important move in solving the confusion, but it is not clear how this will affect both the ongoing demonstrations and the approaches carried out at such a hospital.
