Mass resignations are occurring across hospitals in Kolkata following Mamata Banerjee’s statements yesterday which escalated matters significantly. After mass resignations by doctors at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) on Friday, doctors from the Department of General Medicine at Calcutta National Medical College (CNMC) have submitted their resignations as well, as per our sources.
In the letter submitted to the Director of Medical Education of the Health & Family Welfare Department (HFWD), which has been accessed by OpIndia.com, the doctors said that the situation was “not ideal” for patient care service. In light of the current circumstances, as they were unable to render their services, the doctors submitted their resignations. The wording of the resignation letter is the same as that of the letter from the doctors at the RGKMCH which indicates that the mass resignations are obviously coordinated.
It is also pertinent to remember that CNMC was one of the institutions that were attacked by mobs following the shut down of services by medical institutions across the state in protest against the attack on doctors and interns at the NRS Medical College and Hospital. Two rooms in the boys’ hostel were set on fire and completely burnt. Allegedly, kerosene bombs were used.
Doctors from North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Darjeeling have issued their mass resignations as well. It’s an unprecedented health crisis in the state.
West Bengal: Total 27 doctors of North Bengal Medical College & Hospital, Darjeeling, have resigned over violence against doctors in the state. https://t.co/gegWvNbkAu
— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2019
As we had mentioned in our previous report, OpIndia.com has learnt from sources that Mamata Banerjee derailed the ongoing discussions between the stakeholders and the state government by threatening the medical fraternity. If the threats were not issues, there was the possibility that the matter could have been resolved in a much shorter span of time.
Since then, resentment and angst against the state government has increased even more among the fraternity. Yesterday, Professor Saibal Kumar Mukherjee and Professor Saurabh Chattopadhyay issued their resignations as the Principal and Medical Superintendent/Vice-Principal respectively of NRS Medical College & Hospital. Several others from Sagar Dutta Medical College and Hospital, too, handed over their resignations.
