Kerala: Ernakulam Government Medical College teachers urge Govt to start super specialty departments without delay

Ernakulam: The Ernakulam Government Medical College teachers have submitted a memorandum asking the government to sort out the institute's issues and shortcomings by presenting several demands and suggestions.

The teachers who raised the demand are associated with the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers' Association and submitted their memorandum to Chief Secretary V.S. Joy. 

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The teachers urged the government to begin the super-specialty departments without any delay, observing that these departments including general medicine, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, and the cancer care centre have not been performing to their full extent and efficiency due to the shortage of supporting departments. 

Due to the non-functioning of these departments, the patients requiring treatment in neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, medical and surgical gastroenterology, and paediatric surgery were subsequently referred to the medical colleges in Kottayam and Thrissur or to nearby private institutions, said the memorandum. 

Further, the teachers raised the issue of staff shortage, stating that only three posts of senior residents were open and the number of post-graduates was also less, as per a media report in the Hindu. 

The teachers suggested that they need to offer postgraduate courses in all major departments from the next academic year since the current postgraduate is extended only to five departments of paediatrics, general medicine, psychiatry, pathology, and microbiology. 

Public transportation to the medical college should be made available 24*7, suggested the association since patients had to depend on autorickshaw or taxi services due to a shortage of bus services. They also suggested the setting up of a surgical theatre in the trauma care centre; family quarters for faculty members; proper accommodation for postgraduate students; and a pay ward facility. 

The teachers asked the government to implement the general transfer for 2022 for those faculty members who had been working outstation for more than four years. 

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