Kerala doctors protest government order extending duty hours

Thiruvananthapuram: Doctors under the banner of the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) organised protest meetings across Kannur district on Tuesday opposing a government order that extends the working hours of doctors in government health institutions. The association termed the order “undemocratic and unscientific.” 

The protests were organised at several major government hospitals in the district. At the District Hospital in Kannur, the demonstration was inaugurated by KGMOA North Zone vice-president Dr. Ajith Kumar. Meanwhile, the protest meeting at the General Hospital in Thalassery was inaugurated by district president Dr. Jithin V.S.M.

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In a statement, the KGMOA said that while major reforms in the health sector should normally be discussed with all stakeholders, the government had unilaterally issued the order increasing doctors’ duty hours and redefining their responsibilities in an unsound manner, reports The Hindu.

According to the association, doctors in many government hospitals already examine between 150 and 200 patients a day. Increasing duty hours further, it said, could negatively affect the quality of patient care and raise the risk of medical errors due to fatigue and work pressure.

The association emphasised that the proper solution to the increasing workloads is to create more posts for doctors and ensure an adequate doctor-patient ratio across government hospitals.

The association also criticised the decision to fix the duty hours of hospital superintendents from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. It noted that most government offices begin functioning at 10 a.m., and the new schedule could create practical difficulties in administration.

As per the Hindu, the KGMOA warned that increasing workload without strengthening manpower would weaken the public healthcare system. “The ultimate victims will not be doctors, but patients who depend on government hospitals in their most vulnerable situations,” it said.

The organisation demanded that the government withdraw the order and adopt consultative, evidence-based measures to protect the quality of treatment available to the public.

The current dispute comes amid broader unrest in Kerala’s public healthcare system. Recently, members of the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA) staged protests over issues such as salary arrears, increasing workload, and administrative delays.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that after receiving government assurances on pending salary arrears and improvements in hospital infrastructure, the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers' Association (KGMCTA) had decided to suspend its strike for one week.

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