Doctors provide telemedicine services at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 31, 2024.
As protests against the tragic rape and murder of a female doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital continue into their 21st day, resident doctors from various medical colleges have initiated telemedicine services for patients beginning Saturday.
The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front announced that resident doctors will be available for telephonic consultations daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting August 31. The telemedicine initiative is named “Abhaya Telemedicine Clinic,” in honor of the victim.
“A roster has been prepared, allowing doctors from different medical colleges to attend RGKMCH and provide this vital service,” explained a resident doctor involved in the initiative, noting they served over 500 patients on their first day.
Contact Details
Telemedicine consultations will be accessible via phone calls, video calls, and messaging. Four WhatsApp numbers have been designated for the Abhaya Telemedicine Clinic: 8777565251, 8777569399, 8777579517, and 6290326079.
Prescriptions are issued on specially designed sheets branded with ‘Abhaya Clinic,’ including a watermark that conveys, ‘We want justice for RG Kar, and the eradication of crime.’ Doctors are signing these prescriptions with the hashtag #JusticeforAbhaya.
Furthermore, junior doctors from seven public and private medical colleges will conduct health camps called Abhaya Clinic each Sunday. The inaugural camp will take place on September 1 in north Kolkata’s Kumartuli area, which is known for its idol-making community.
These telemedicine services and health camps will remain operational until justice is achieved and protests conclude.
Upcoming Protest on September 4
The WBJDF has called for a rally on Wednesday, September 4, encouraging individuals to switch off lights in their homes and establishments between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., instead lighting diyas to signify their demand for justice for the victim.
This wave of activism follows a 21-day strike initiated on August 9 by junior doctors across the state, demanding justice for the victim and enhanced safety measures for healthcare professionals. In a public statement on August 28, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the protesting doctors to return to work, emphasizing the government’s reluctance to file police complaints that could jeopardize their careers.
The Chief Medical Officer of Health in Purba Medinipur district has issued notices to 29 clinics and hospitals along with 93 doctors at the State-run Midnapore Hospital, citing breaches of the Clinical Establishment Act, as many of these doctors have participated in the ongoing protests.
