Government hospital in Kolkata faces scrutiny over medicine shortages and patient transfers following the Chorbagan stampede. (AFP Image)

West Bengal health minister Sharadwat Mukherjee on Monday said he would examine complaints by junior doctors about shortages of essential medicines in government hospitals, amid questions over the transfer of patients injured in the Chorbagan stampede to private hospitals on the orders of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

“I have not received any list from the WBJDF. I am in a meeting now. I will inquire into their complaints in detail and inform you,” Mukherjee told Deccan Chronicle.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF), formed during the RG Kar movement, has questioned the absence of a clear protocol for transferring patients from government hospitals to private facilities. The forum said the decision to shift the injured in the October 17 Chorbagan stampede raised questions about whether similar arrangements would be available to patients in other emergencies.

Nineteen people died in the stampede at a Durga Puja mandap in Chorbagan, Kolkata. The injured were initially taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital before Adhikari decided to transfer them to private hospitals closer to their homes.

Debashis Halder, a WBJDF leader, said doctors supported transfers when necessary to save lives but wanted the government to clarify the rules governing such decisions. “We welcome the decision to transfer the injured to private hospitals to save their lives in emergency situations. But what will be the protocol if injured people in any other accident want the same services? The government must clarify,” he said.

The forum alleged shortages of essential medicines and equipment continue to affect state‑run hospitals. Members questioned why patients had to be shifted from Calcutta Medical College, a major government institution, and why two patients at SSKM Hospital were also transferred.

Soumyadeep Dey, an intern at Calcutta Medical College, said the transfer decision raised questions about government healthcare infrastructure. He alleged Tranexamic acid, used to control bleeding, was unavailable during the emergency.

The controversy intensified after Adhikari defended the transfers, saying the priority was to save lives. He acknowledged shortcomings in government hospitals and said it would take a couple of years to address them. He also directed the health department to examine whether junior doctors had held press conferences instead of attending to patients during critical moments.

Following his direction, the health department called a meeting with administrators of state medical colleges. The WBJDF alleged junior doctors were facing pressure for questioning the transfer decision and highlighting shortages.

Pratik Panda, representing the forum, said medicine shortages were a longstanding problem, citing a meeting with the health minister on September 24. Agniveen Kundu, another member, questioned why patients were transferred when SSKM Hospital has a disaster management ward with more than 20 beds.

Manas Barman, convener of the RSS‑affiliated Medivision, said the new government was committed to improving healthcare infrastructure and accused junior doctors of political criticism. Arnab Pal, secretary of the RSS‑affiliated National Medicos Organisation, questioned whether junior doctors had held their press conference while on duty.

The WBJDF maintained that its concerns were about patient safety, medicine availability and accountability in emergency care.

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