Bengal govt withdraws transfer notification of 42 doctors amid protests

Kolkata, Aug 17 : West Bengal Health Department on Saturday announced the withdrawal of earlier notification to transfer 42 doctors associated with state-run medical colleges and hospitals amid huge protests by the medical fraternity across the country.

Announcing the decision to withdraw the transfer notification, Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam told media persons that the transfer order had no connection with the ongoing protests over the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor at state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata last week.

“The process for the latest transfers started almost two months back. However, the notification for the transfer was delayed due to issues like spelling mistakes in the names. We have now withdrawn the notification,” Nigam said.

He said that since the said doctors are already providing medical services in their respective places the transfer might hamper those services there.

“That is why the notification has been withdrawn. There is no controversy over the issue,” he added.

As the information about the transfer notification surfaced earlier in the days, there were nationwide protests with the medical fraternity and opposition parties claiming that the transfer of doctors was a reflection of the state government’s vindictive attitude.

The United Doctors Front Association (UDFA) also strongly condemned the transfer and claimed that it was an unjust transfer of doctors who supported the protest by medical students and junior doctors.

BJP’s National Spokesman Shehzad Poonawalla said that 42 doctors were transferred by the Trinamool government after they raised their voices for justice in the doctor rape and murder incident.