THIRUVANATHAPURAM: In a second split in the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA), the doctors of the government medical college hospitals have formed a new service organisation called Kerala Government Medical Faculties Association (KGMFA).
It may be recalled that in the first split, a splinter group of the KGMCTA comprising doctors of the five medical college hospitals had formed another association last month the Kerala Government Postgraduate Medical Teachers Association (KGPMTA). In the latest development, another group of doctors at a meeting in Ernakulam last week decided to form KGMFA. D R Mahadevan, Associate Professor of Radiotherapy, Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, and Dr M.Jayakumar, Associate Professor of Orthopaedics, Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, were elected president and secretary of the new association respectively.
The KGMFA leaders in a statement urged the government to sanction voluntary retirement scheme for those who have completed 20 years in service. They also demanded that the promotions should be made based on the guidelines issued by the Medical Council of India and the seniority should be reinstated based on the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) recommendations. The KGMFA also sought the reintroduction of lecturer and senior lecturer posts as the entry cadre for medical college service.
The KGMCTA was the only service organisation of doctors in the five government medical colleges all these years.
Following the implementation of a pay revision coupled with the ban on private practice, there was resentment within the association.
This led to the expulsion of some former leaders of the association. Following this, a splinter group from all the five hospitals formed the KGPMTA.
The KGPMTA leaders had claimed that the postgraduate doctors were being sidelined in the medical education sector and even during the last pay revision they were not properly recognised.
Their main grievance was that they were being given a raw deal when compared to the doctors who have acquired postgraduate degree after joining the service.