Protesting doctors turn down Mamata’s invite for talks, say CM has to apologise first

  • Striking junior doctors turned down West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s invitation for a meeting at the State Secretariat, which was called to resolved the impasse, and continued their protest for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday.
  • Resident doctors of AIIMS issue a 48-hour ultimatum to Mamata to meet the agitating doctors’ demands.
  • The doctors, who are protesting against the assault on two of their colleagues at NRS Medical College and Hospital, had on Friday sought unconditional apology from Banerjee and set six conditions for the state government.

Six more children die of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Bihar, death toll reaches 83

  • With six more deaths reported in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district, the death toll due to viral infection Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has reached 83 on Saturday.
  • The Muzaffarpur district administration had issued a statement on Friday evening saying that six children died in the state-run SKMCH hospital while three died at Kejriwal hospital.
  • The Muzaffarpur district of Bihar is among the worst hit by the outbreak of brain fever.

Amid mounting protests, Hong Kong suspends proposed extradition bill indefinitely

  • Amid extreme protests and boycotts, the Hong Kong government Saturday suspended the controversial legislation which allowed extradition of some suspects to stand trial in mainland China.
  • The decision was announced by Chief Executive Carrie Lam in a press conference, who said that the bill has caused intense division in the society and she had heard the calls for her government to “pause and think.”

Suicidal tendencies linked to rheumatic, musculoskeletal diseases, claims study

  • A new survey has revealed that pain due to rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) impacts the mental health of people and they are more likely to have suicidal thoughts.
  • “This survey highlights the huge importance of pain on the psychological well-being of RMD patients and the critical need to improve the support on offer,” said Professor Thomas Dorner, Chairperson of the Scientific Programme Committee, EULAR. 
  • The study conducted a survey on over 900 RMD patients which revealed that pain had caused one in ten to have suicidal thoughts within the previous four weeks.