THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The doctors in government medical colleges have decided to strengthen their protest as the government has largely ignored their demands. They have started their model protest by boycotting meetings and classes other than major medical courses from December 1.
Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) has warned of strengthening the protest in the days to come.
“We will be reviewing our strategy if the government continues to ignore our demands. The issues we have raised are not just for the doctors, but also for better patient care,” said Dr Rosenara Beegum T, general secretary of KGMCTA.
“The doctors are struggling to give proper care to the patients. The government should immediately step in to address the shortage of staff, and pay anomalies,” she added. She warned that the doctors would be forced to boycott camps, and medical boards other than those directed by the court, restricting the outpatient clinics etc.
The doctors complained that the health department was involved in a cover-up act to hide the shortage of doctors and redeploy the doctors from existing medical colleges to newly formed colleges. The government issued an order creating 527 posts in medical colleges in 2021. But it was later slashed to 291.
“Even after slashing the posts, no appointments have been made because the file is still with the finance department. The government order should be modified to have a sufficient number of doctors as mandated by the National Medical Commission,” said Dr Nirmal Bhaskar, state president of KGMCTA. KGMCTA demanded that pay anomalies be rectified and the salary dues be paid to the doctors.