KOLKATA: In a late-night move on August 21, the West Bengal Health Department announced the transfer of three senior officials from Kolkata’s state-run R G Kar Medical College & Hospital. The officials include the newly appointed Principal Suhrita Pal, Vice Principal and Medical Superintendent Bulbul Mukhopadhyay, and Dr. Arunava Dutta Chowdhury, head of the Chest Medicine Department.
The decision comes in response to the ongoing protests by junior doctors and medical students at RG Kar Medical College. The state’s Health Secretary, Narayan Swarup Nigam, stated that the transfer was necessary to meet the demands of the protesting medical fraternity, ensuring that normal medical services could resume in the state.
In a related development, the Health Department also revoked an earlier decision to appoint former RG Kar Principal Sandip Ghosh as the Principal of Calcutta National Medical College & Hospital (CNMCH).
Earlier that day, medical professionals staged a protest rally outside Swastha Bhavan, the Health Department’s headquarters. A delegation of protesters presented officials with a memorandum outlining their demands, which included the removal of Principal Pal and the withdrawal of Sandip Ghosh’s appointment.
Although the protesting doctors did not receive immediate assurance from the Health Department regarding their demands, they remained steadfast in their decision to continue the agitation until their requests were fully addressed. The state government’s decision to transfer the officials appears to be a response to the growing pressure from the medical community.
Demand for Justice in Kolkata Doctor's Tragic Death Exposes Governance Failures in West Bengal
Congress Slams TMC Over Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: Andhra Leader Y.S. Sharmila Demands Justice
