Medic's rape-murder: Healthcare services affected in Bengal as doctors continue ceasework
Kolkata (PTI): Healthcare services were severely hit at state-run hospitals in West Bengal on Friday as junior doctors continued their ceasework for the 15th consecutive day to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) here.
They decided to continue the stir despite the Supreme Court's appeal to them to resume work.
"Our protest will continue till we see the culprits punished. We are not here for anything else. We cannot call off the demonstration suddenly unless our demand is fulfilled," an agitating doctor at the RGKMCH told PTI.
The Supreme Court on Thursday reiterated its appeal to the doctors protesting over the rape and killing of the medic to resume work and directed that no coercive action would be taken against them.
The court said judges and doctors cannot strike since they deal with matters involving life and liberty.
The flow of patients at the different government hospitals seemed to dry up as the ceasework by junior doctors continued.
"For the last couple of days, the number of patients has decreased even though our senior doctors are attending outpatient departments (OPDs) and emergency units. This is because people are aware of the agitation of junior medics," a senior doctor of the SSKM Hospital said.
Notably, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting a probe into the alleged rape and murder of the woman doctor in the state-run hospital.
Apart from demanding justice for the woman medic, the junior doctors have been pressing for the removal of several officials in the RGKMCH's administration.
The state government had transferred three officials of the RGKMCH and cancelled the posting of the hospital's former principal Sandip Ghosh to the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CNMC).
State health secretary NS Nigam, while announcing the decision, urged the doctors to resume work as it was affecting the healthcare services badly.
On August 9, the police recovered the body of the woman postgraduate trainee doctor from the seminar hall of the RGKMCH.
A civic volunteer was arrested the next day for his alleged involvement in the crime.
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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.
