783 medical officer posts vacant, 24-hour specialist services plan draws doctors' opposition

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s public healthcare system is facing a significant shortage of doctors, with 783 medical officer posts lying vacant across the state, even as the government has launched a new initiative to provide round-the-clock specialist services at selected hospitals. 

Doctors’ associations have raised concerns that the initiative could further worsen staffing shortages at peripheral health facilities if existing doctors are redeployed without fresh appointments. 

The shortage is most pronounced at the assistant surgeon level, with 431 vacancies statewide. Kasaragod has the highest number of vacant posts, with 113, followed by Palakkad with 87 and Kannur with 70. Idukki and Pathanamthitta also have 41 and 25 vacancies, respectively.  

The staffing gap also extends beyond primary healthcare, with more than 300 specialist posts reportedly vacant across the consultant, junior consultant, and senior consultant cadres, affecting departments including obstetrics and gynaecology, anaesthesia, general surgery, paediatrics, and general medicine. 

Against this backdrop, the government has launched ‘Prateeksha Centres’ to provide 24x7 specialist services in general medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, paediatrics and gynaecology at selected district and general hospitals in every district. The project was launched on a trial basis at Punalur Taluk Hospital on September 1.

However, the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) has objected to the manner in which the initiative is being implemented. The association has warned that moving doctors from peripheral facilities to strengthen selected centres could disrupt routine and emergency services at the hospitals from which they are transferred. 

According to TNIE, expressing strong concern over pulling medical personnel away from peripheral units without substitute appointments, Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) president said, “The impact is already evident when the pilot project was launched in Punalur.” He pointed out that a new project was launched when there is already vacancies in the existing posts.  

The staffing situation is further complicated by the limited uptake of recent appointments. Of around 430 appointment letters issued by the Health Department, only 134 were reportedly received, with only about half of those doctors eventually joining duty.

Director of Health Services in-charge said several newly appointed doctors had not joined because they were pursuing postgraduate medical courses.

According to the Daily, the KGMOA has also cautioned that specialist services cannot be expanded without adequate nursing, paramedical and technical staff. According to the association, relying on existing personnel without creating permanent posts could increase workloads, affect the quality of care and put additional pressure on doctor-patient interactions.

The government has said the manpower shortage will be addressed gradually while seeking consensus among stakeholders. The doctors’ association, however, has urged the government to make fresh appointments, ensure equitable deployment of National Health Mission resources and formally upgrade regional healthcare facilities instead of relying on staff redeployment.

The dispute comes at a time when Kerala’s public health system is already dealing with hundreds of vacant medical posts, raising questions over how new 24x7 specialist services can be expanded without further straining the existing workforce.