Amid the ongoing cease-work at 26 state-run medical colleges because of protests against the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee at RG Kar, the state health department has implemented multi-pronged measures to continue providing services to the lakhs of people who rely on state-run healthcare infrastructure.

“Thousands of patients who came to the medical colleges for treatment had to return unattended during the cease-work over the past three days. As providing service to the public is our primary concern, we have taken multiple measures at the government medical colleges and hospitals where services have been disrupted,” said a senior health department official.

On Sunday, the health department cancelled all leave for senior doctors, teachers, nurses, and healthcare staff. They, particularly the senior doctors, have been asked to work additional hours at the hospitals to treat patients in the absence of junior doctors participating in the casework. Their seniors would conduct the tasks of the junior doctors.

In multiple medical colleges, such as Burdwan and Rampurhat in Birbhum, senior doctors have been asked to report for duty earlier than usual.

“All senior doctors have been instructed to report by 9am until the situation returns to normal,” said an official at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital.

A health official said that senior doctors and teachers would resume their duties fully at all medical colleges across the state from Tuesday.

“The state government fully supports the demands of the protesters and condemns the heinous crime committed against the trainee doctors. However, providing health services to the people, particularly the poor, is also crucial,” he said.

A section of state government officials noted that resuming health services at hospitals, especially in rural areas, had become a challenge. The refusal of services led to fresh anger among patients and their families.

“If the stalemate continues for the next few days, patients may launch protests against the doctors, leading to a new controversy that the government wants to avoid,” said an official.

The local administration has already begun contacting the protesting doctors at medical colleges and hospitals in their jurisdiction, requesting that they resume work while protesting to prevent public dissatisfaction over the lack of health services.

On Monday, Rampurhat sub-divisional officer Saurav Pandey urged the protesting doctors at Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital to resume work, warning that blocking medical services would not help them achieve their demands.

“I urge you to resume work. If you continue to protest by blocking healthcare services, it will lead to further public dissatisfaction,” the SDO told the protesting junior doctors and trainees.

An official expressed concern about the consequences of such a blockade if any patients die due to lack of treatment at government hospitals.

Meanwhile, 35-year-old Piarul Sheikh died at Murshidabad Medical College, allegedly after being unattended for four hours at the OPD.

“We took him to the medical college as he complained of fever, cough, and headache. A doctor in the emergency department administered an injection and advised further treatment. The OPD was closed, and we waited for four hours for a doctor. When a doctor finally arrived, my nephew had already passed away,” said Burahnuddin Sheikh, the patient’s uncle.

However, Anadi Roychowdhury, the medical superintendent and vice-principal of the hospital, claimed that the patient had been attended to by a doctor but died as his condition had already deteriorated.

In the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, the largest state-run referral hospital in north Bengal located on the outskirts of Siliguri, around 350 junior doctors didn’t work on Monday, outside the emergency ward. Superintendent Sanjay Mallick said senior doctors were performing their duties.

“In the absence of junior doctors, senior doctors are under pressure. We have asked them to divide their duties among themselves,” he said.

In the neighbouring Jalpaiguri, the 75 junior doctors at the Jalpaiguri Government Medical College and Hospital joined their duties on Monday, but said that from Tuesday, they will not work in outpatient departments. Principal Prabir Deb said senior doctors would attend the OPDs.

Around 150 junior doctors didn’t join their duties at the Raiganj Government Medical College and Hospital. To handle the situation, the authorities have asked senior doctors to work in shifts, both in OPDs and wards. In Malda Medical College and Hospital, the authorities have prepared a duty schedule for senior doctors.