KOCHI: The fate of the Cooperative Medical College, (CMC) Kochi, is revolving around its satellite hospital which was started recently at Punnapra in Alappuzha, thanks to the patronage of Cooperation Minister G Sudhakaran enjoyed by the latter.
Close on the heels of the authorities of the Cooperative Academy of Professional Education (CAPE) transferring 25 doctors to the Punnapra hospital stalling the functioning of the CMC, they asked medical director Dr P G R Pillai to join the satellite hospital as administrator, which finally led to his resignation.
Dr Pillai, who had assumed charge as medical director of CMC, Kochi, a couple of years ago is the man behind the medical institution conquering new heights.
He, who had been a favourite of the government, became a spoke in the eye of the authorities after he questioned the deeds of those at the helm.
The CAPE authorities had been charging more fees than that fixed by the Fee Regulatory Committee headed by Justice P A Mohammed. The students challenged it in the court and got an order in their favour. The minister is said to have accused the medical director of being unable to tame the students.
When the CAPE authorities transferred the doctors en masse, Dr Pillai questioned it as it was likely to affect the functioning of the hospital. The minister had even asked the doctors who were not willing to join the Punnapra hospital to put in their papers, sources said. It was only a couple of months ago that the CMC Kochi got adequate number of doctors.
Six super-speciality departments, the construction of which has almost been completed, are to begin soon. To offer most-modern medical services, state-of-the-art medical equipment worth around `2 crore has been made available at the medical college. Facilities like a police aid-post, and more buses to the medical college were also introduced recently.
As the transferred doctors include faculties of the medical college, the functioning of the college has been affected adversely. The students have started an indefinite strike against the lackadaisical attitude of the management. “The transferred doctors include even heads of many departments, and professors. So the classes at the medical college are being disrupted,” Students Union chairman Faras Mohammed said.
According to the norms, a hospital can be set up as a satellite hospital within a maximum distance of 25 km, but the Punnapra hospital is 90 km away from CMC, Kochi.