West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday assured representatives of the protesting doctors, who met her at the secretariat in Kolkata, that security measures will be put in place in hospitals to ensure safety for doctors.
NDTV reported that Banerjee suggested a 10-point security measure, including stationing of police officers at hospitals and streamlining of the entry of attendants in the emergency section.
For the latest news and more, follow HuffPost India on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our newsletter.
The 31 doctors present at the meeting told Banerjee at the meeting, where finally two Bengali news channels were allowed, “We are scared while working, we want exemplary punishment for those who assaulted NRS doctors.”
“We are proud of our doctors. You may be angry with my government but please go back to work. I will be very happy if you announce the end of your ceasework now,” the NDTV report quoted her as saying.
Banerjee asked the police officers present in meeting to appoint nodal officers for hospitals in the state for security of doctors, PTI reported.
Apart from West Bengal health secretary, MoS Chandrima Bhattacharya and state officials were present at the meeting.
While the government had first rejected the doctors’ demand to have media cover the meeting, only two regional news channels were allowed to cover it.
Banerjee also directed formation of grievance redressal units in all state-run hospitals as proposed by the junior doctors.
She said the state government has taken adequate measures and arrested five people involved in NRS incident.
Doctors in Kolkata have been protesting against violence against doctors for the past one week. The protests were triggered by an attack on a junior doctor at the NRS Medical College and Hospital last week. The doctor suffered serious injuries after the family of a patient, who died of a heart attack, attacked him.
(With PTI inputs)