Junior doctors in West Bengal are continuing their strike, demanding formal commitments from the state government to address their five-point charter of demands, which they say is crucial for improving healthcare services and ensuring safety of both healthcare professionals as well as patients in hospitals. In  a statement the junior doctors said that The sit-in will persist outside SWathya Bhawan and health facilities until these issues are resolved.

A key demand is the establishment of a centralised referral system that would allow real-time visibility into bed availability across hospitals. Doctors argue this would eliminate middlemen and the bureaucratic hurdles patients face when seeking treatment. They also seek adequate staffing in hospitals, calling for an end to temporary contracts and replacing them with permanent roles for health workers.

“Every hospital and medical college must include junior doctors in their policy-making bodies. This is essential to root out corruption in staff recruitment and to ensure that junior doctors have a say in decisions that affect their work and patient care,” a representative of the doctors said. They further emphasised the need to stop the political partys’ interference in the selection of house staff, calling for a transparent process. “Nepotism and corruption in the hiring process must end,” they added.

The junior doctors have also demanded the formation of a special state-level committee to investigate misconduct and protect staff, which would include elected junior doctor representatives. “It is not enough to punish those responsible for wrongdoings at various colleges; the democratic scope must expand to all medical institutions,” the doctors stated. They urged all medical colleges to recognise resident doctors' associations and hold student union elections to ensure democratic representation in councils and patient welfare committees.

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court of India during its latest hearing has weighed in, urging the state to respond promptly to the doctors' demands. The doctors expressed optimism after initial talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but noted that only part of their demands had been met. “The government transferred some officials responsible for delaying justice, but we haven’t seen progress on other fronts,” the doctors said. They praised the removal of senior officials but reiterated the need for concrete actions to protect doctors and improve healthcare infrastructure.

Another major concern raised by the doctors is the security in state-run hospitals, particularly after the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Hospital. "Enhancing security alone is not enough," said one doctor, adding that patient welfare and health services must also be guaranteed. The doctors criticised the state’s decision to appoint civic volunteers with only seven days of training as security personnel, stating that the Supreme Court had called this measure inadequate.

The doctors highlighted broader systemic problems, including the corruption patients face in accessing hospital beds and life-saving medicines. They argued for immediate reforms to address these issues, which they say are crucial for the welfare of both healthcare workers and patients. “Our demands are not just about our safety but also about ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve,” they said.

Following their discussions with state officials, the doctors called for the formation of task forces at the state and college levels, with junior doctor representation, to oversee hospital safety and management reforms. They expressed frustration at the lack of written commitments from the government, despite the Chief Minister’s oral assurances. “Without written confirmation, we are uncertain how these promises will be fulfilled,” they stated.

The sit-in in front of Swasthya Bhawan has now entered its ninth day, with essential services severely disrupted across hospitals in the state. Emergency rooms and outpatient services have been operating with minimal staff, and patients have been left waiting for critical care.

Senior officials, including Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, participated in a marathon meeting with the doctors, but the lack of written minutes from the discussion has stoked further frustration. Junior doctors are resolute that their agitation will continue until the government provides formal documentation of their commitments. “We need concrete actions, not just promises,” one of the junior doctors said.

Ms Banerjee’s administration has made some concessions, such as removing senior health officials and replacing Kolkata’s police chief, but the junior doctors insist that more needs to be done to resolve the situation and ensure that tragic incidents like the one at R.G. Kar Hospital never happen again. They are urging the government to act quickly to break the impasse and allow them to return to work.