The week-long junior doctors' strike across state-run hospitals in West Bengal was called off on Monday following a meeting between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and representatives of the agitating medics.
"We withdraw our strike after our meeting with the Chief Minister. The meeting has been positive and fruitful. We appeal all junior doctors across Bengal to resume work as soon as possible. We have decided to give time to the state government to implement our proposals raised in the meeting," a representative of the striking doctors said at the state-run NRS Medical College and Hospital.
Banerjee asked police to appoint nodal officers for security of doctors at all government hospital in the state as she met the striking medicos on Monday.
In the meeting, which was held at the state secretariat, a doctors' delegation apprised Banerjee of the problems they have been facing at medical colleges and hospitals and said they fear for their safety.
Banerjee asked the police officers present in meeting to appoint nodal officers for hospitals in the state for security of doctors.
West Bengal health secretary, MoS Chandrima Bhattacharya and other state officials were present in the meeting, besides 31 junior doctors.
The state government which had consented to protestors demand that meeting should be held in the presence of media, allowed only two regional news channels to cover the meeting.
The CM told the striking doctors that no doctor has been booked by the state government.
The representatives of the joint forum of junior doctors also sought exemplary punishment for those involved in assault on doctors at NRS Medical College and Hospital on June 11.
Banerjee also directed formation of grievance redressal units in all state-run hospitals as proposed by the junior doctors.
She said the state government has taken adequate measures and arrested five people involved in NRS incident.
The meeting, slated to originally start at 3pm, was delayed for some time as the government conceded the young medicos' demand for live media coverage of the meeting at the last moment.
Junior doctors in West Bengal were on strike since June 11 after two of their colleagues were reportedly attacked and seriously injured by relatives of a patient who died at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
In a show of solidarity, medical practitioners across the country chose not to work, leaving patients in the lurch.
