Kolkata rape-murder case: Junior doctors continue protest, criticise BJP's Suvendu Adhikari
Kolkata: Junior doctors protesting the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College have criticised BJP Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari for his comments regarding the ongoing protests. Adhikari claimed that those chanting "Go Back" at BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul were not junior doctors, a statement the doctors firmly rejected, accusing him of attempting to politicise their movement.
The protest, which has entered its fourth night, continued despite heavy rain outside Swasthya Bhavan in Salt Lake. Junior doctors have emphasised that they will not allow their demands for justice to be used for political gain. The doctors' movement, which started after the August 9 incident, calls for systemic changes in the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
The junior doctors have listed several key demands, including the identification and arrest of those responsible for the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital. They are also calling for the resignation of Kolkata Police commissioner Vineet Goyal, disciplinary action against former RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh, improved safety measures for healthcare workers, and the resignation of senior health officials in the state.
They also sent a letter to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting intervention in the ongoing impasse at RG Kar Hospital. Copies were also sent to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union Health Minister JP Nadda. Their demands include the holding of student union elections in medical colleges, forming a resident doctors' association, and conducting transparent elections for the West Bengal Medical Council.
Despite the heavy rain, the doctors continued their 'cease work' and sit-in demonstration outside Swasthya Bhavan, calling for justice. The Kolkata Police have installed CCTV cameras at the protest site to monitor the situation and ensure security.
The doctors expressed disappointment after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rejected their request to live telecast a meeting with state officials. They argued that their demand was reasonable, given that parliamentary discussions and administrative meetings are often broadcast live. The doctors were also frustrated with being asked to leave their electronic devices outside the meeting room, which prevented them from recording the proceedings.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
