View of the 'dharna manch' where junior doctors are staging hunger strike over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor, in Kolkata. (Representative image)
Credit: PTI Photo
Kolkata: Six days after being admitted to hospital after his health deteriorated from a hunger strike demanding justice for the murdered medic of RG Kar hospital, junior doctor Aniket Mahato was discharged on Thursday.
Doctors have prescribed him seven days of "total rest," with his health to be reviewed after that period, a senior doctor of the hospital said. They have advised him against embarking on another round of fasting.
"His condition has improved, but he requires at least seven days of complete rest at home. Restarting fasting could be risky," the doctor said.
Mahato, a prominent figure in the ongoing agitation by junior doctors, expressed gratitude for the continuous support from the community. "We will continue until we achieve justice for our colleague-sister who met such a cruel end. We will fight until our last breath," he said.
Thursday was the 13th day of the fast-unto-death initiated by junior medics. So far, six fasting doctors have been hospitalised due to severe health complications.
Currently, eight medics remain on indefinite fast at the protest site in central Kolkata.
The protesting doctors are demanding the immediate removal of State Health Secretary NS Nigam, the establishment of a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and the formation of task forces to ensure essential provisions like CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.
Additionally, they are calling for increased police protection in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel and swift filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers.
The junior doctors began their 'cease-work' in response to the rape-murder of their fellow medic on August 9. They ended their strike after 42 days on September 21, following assurances from the state government to address their demands.