Amid the ongoing strike at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, protesting doctors have initiated telemedicine services to support patients, starting from Saturday, August 31.
Despite pleas from the Supreme Court and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the doctors remain firm in their decision not to return to their regular duties, continuing their protest over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the institution.
The telemedicine service, named Abhaya Clinic in honour of the victim, operates daily from 10 am to 2 pm and is run by postgraduate trainees and interns under the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF). On the first day, 50 doctors worked in shifts, attending to more than 600 patients through four dedicated phone lines and sending prescriptions via WhatsApp.
Dr Riya Bera from the gynaecology and obstetrics department noted that calls began pouring in at 9:30 am, well before the service's official start time.
The telemedicine service aims to provide interim care during the strike, covering a range of departments, including medicine, surgery, gynaecology, orthopaedics, paediatrics, ENT, and dermatology. Dr Md Tarikul Alam mentioned that if the high demand continues, the service may be expanded to include more phone lines and additional doctors. The doctors stressed that this service is not a return to routine work but a temporary solution to assist patients during their protest. They also clarified that the initiative was not in response to external pressures but a demonstration of their commitment to resuming duties if their demands are met.
