KOCHI: It seems like the Ernakulam Medical College will not be able to push for supplementary grant as the high-level meeting will be convened only by July 21 and by then the ongoing Assembly session would have ended.
The hospital is in dire need of funds to improve its facilities. Dr Praveen Lal, principal, Ernakulam Medical College, told ‘Express’ that he was informed on Wednesday that the meeting will be convened by the Health Secretary only on July 21. The meet will be attended by the Director of Medical Education and the Assembly session will conclude on July 17.
Earlier, the Health Secretary had informed during a high-level meeting held here in connection with the setting up of cancer centre that the issue related to the hospital would be solved by pushing for supplementary grant.
With just two days left, the chances for getting extra funds remain bleak.
A higher official with the hospital said that as there is no budgetary allocation for the hospital, supplementary grant has to be placed before the completion of this legislative Assembly session. “But, that has to be done within two days. If not, we will have to wait for approximately four months for the next session,” he said.
The Director of Medical Education has asked for `93 crore for the smooth functioning of the hospital. “The government has allotted `5 crores through the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited. But, that won’t suffice,” said sources with the hospital.
“The salary bill would come to around `2.9 crore. Other bills such as electricity bill, water, petrol and other utility would come between `50 and `60 lakh. We have hardly any money to purchase medicines locally,” said the sources.
Dr T S Jayasurya, one of the office-bearers of Cochin Medical College Teachers’ Association (CMCTA), which staged a token strike onTuesday in the EMC demanding immediate steps for the staff integration, said they will intensify the strike by August 1 if they did not take steps on war footing to the resolve the issue.
The high-level meeting which comprises of the Health Minister and four principal secretaries are yet to convene. “The time scheduled to convene this meeting would end by July 31,” the official pointed out. It is this committee which would take decision on three prominent factors Â- fee structure, integration process and future development of the hospital.When ‘City Express’ caught up with daily wage workers of the hospital, they said that most of them are underpaid and did not get this month’s salary.
“We get `9000 a month. But `1000 will be deducted for ESI and provident fund. On leave and off days, we would not be paid,” they said on conditions of anonymity. “Before it was `200 a day. It was recently that it has been raised it to `300,” he said.
However, Dr Praveen lal said the issue can solved by policy decisions.
“Further details could be divulged only after the meeting on July 21,” he said.