CHENNAI: Post Graduate government service doctors are up against the health department proposal to establish PG hostels in government medical college hospitals on a public-private partnership model.
Director of Medical Education, Dr R Shanthi Malar, sent a circular to all the deans of government medical colleges on December 8 requesting them to furnish remarks on the possibility of establishing the hostels.
The DME had told the vice principals and wardens of women’s and men’s hostels and post-graduate students of respective colleges that they have to furnish the remarks in Google forms, sent to them, on or before 5 pm on December 19.
Opposing the proposal, Dr E Yogeshwaran, PG doctor at Government Stanley Medical College said, “We are opposing it as the hostel fees will be increased. Also, the hostel and mess are managed partially by students. They will lose the opportunity to learn leadership and organising skills. Hostels run by private individuals will be like a boarding school with no freedom,” he said.
Dr PS Kiran Kumar, PG doctor at Sivagangai Medical College wondered who will fix the fee in case of PPP model. “Hostels have to be maintained by the government. In fact, it is their duty. Already stipend for post-graduate students is low in Tamil Nadu. Now, adopting such a model will financially burden the already exhausted students.”
Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association - PG Wing also opposed the proposal. “We request the government to drop the idea of PPP model. Instead, the government could get proposal from all medical colleges to build new or renovate, expand existing hostels,” the association in a statement.
Director of Medical Education, Dr Shanthi Malar, couldn’t be reached for comment.