3 days Ago By Sumati Yengkhom
Kolkata: While all senior doctors said they were firmly backing the movement of the junior doctors , many are hoping for the impasse to end and allow the latter to return to work. Faculty members have been walking the extra mile to fill up the void left by the junior doctors. They are hopeful for a logical end to the ceasework after the Monday talk with the CM.
The OPD footfall in the five teaching hospitals, apart from RG Kar, is near normal. While admission rates are also picking up, planned surgeries continue to be kept on hold. “We know this is a faulty system.
But this system requires the presence of junior doctors, specially the PGTs and PDTs in the ward, especially at night. Post surgery, many patients need round-the-clock monitoring for which we need a bigger workforce. Once they come back to work, we plan to hike up the planned surgeries,” said the principal of a medical college .
Seniors said that all movements will have collateral damage that all have to accept. Around 7,000-plus junior doctors across the state have been on ceasework since Aug 9. “We are with the junior doctors.
But it is getting tough for the seniors who have health issues. I feel that even the junior doctors are keen to come back to work provided their demands are fulfilled. We hope this dialogue brings up some solutions,” said Diptendra Sarkar, general surgery professor at IPGMER.
“We did not have the spine for such a revolt. Our students has dug up the corruption in the system. That is why they have the support of all seniors,” said the head of the department at Medical College Hospital, Kolkata.
Ashim Mallick, the SNCU head at NRS Medical College, said: “Despite reports of an abysmally low admission rate, it is now down by only about 20%. Even the nurses and technicians are chipping in with extra effort.” Many department heads and principals said junior doctors were still helping ‘unofficially’.
“They are missing out on their studies and many are yet to submit their thesis. They have sacrificed a lot for this movement. It was only natural for seniors to support them,” said Abhishek De, associate professor of dermatology at CNMC.
“We have been working overtime willingly. But they are also losing on their studies and clinical lessons. The final-year PGTs have their final exams in Dec.
We are concerned for this as well because if the ceasework goes on, it will impact their studies,” said another senior doctor..
