Kerala house surgeons oppose extension of internship by 3 months, threaten infinite strike
Thiruvananthapuram: Subsequent to the Tamil Nadu House Surgeons, now the Kerala House Surgeons from the batch of 2015, completing the Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRI) this year have opposed the decision of extending their CRRI for 3 months by the Medical Education Department.
The house surgeons have come under the banner of the Kerala House Surgeons Association (KHSA) and are planning to go on infinite strike if the authorities force the extension of the internship. They have also decided to approach the esteemed High Court as the government has issued an order contrary to the KHSA's stand on the matter.
Demanding immediate release of their CRRI completion certificate so that they can start practising as a registered medical practitioner, the house surgeons stated that after four and a half years of MBBS study, the one-year internship is compulsory under the bond, the doctors are entitled to receive their CRRI certificate to start their practice as extending it for 3 months would affect their preparations for post-graduation and competitive examinations.
In a recent press release, the association stated that the 2015 batch entered this duty on 15th April 2020, and the Principal Secretary (13-04-2021) suggested the extension of the duty of the House Surgeons who are due to complete their internship on April 14, 2021, for three months or until the next batch joins the duty. The order of the Head of the Department of Medical Education (15-04-2021) has also been issued accordingly.
The 2016 batch will write the exam on May 10 and they can only join duty after the publication of their result. "Under the present 'special situation', it is the house surgeons here who are forced to bear the brunt of the shortcomings in the permanent appointments in the health sector. A section of people who have completed a one-year training period and are enslaved for meagre wages are about to be exploited by being given an extension of duty again", stated the association.
The association further added, " During this period of internship, a house surgeon works under an RMP (registered medical practitioner) with the temporary approval of the TCMC. Independent diagnosis or treatment is not approved during this period. House Surgery in Kerala is an arrangement in which the hospital literally has to complete all the work that is left over, without setting exact boundaries or duty time as per the instructions of the superiors." Hence, the association has sought an immediate release of the CRRI certificate so that they can start practising independently.
It added that, unlike last year, this time the government was well aware of the COVID situation and the necessity of employing more healthcare professionals. Since February 2, KHSA has been meeting with the Head of the Medical Education Department and the Medical College Principals, many times in person, to explain the situation and ask for a solution.
" The fact that the final year MBBS students' studies were interrupted due to covid is no secret and their results will naturally be delayed and the next batch of house surgeons will be delayed in entering the job. Yet, why has the Department of Medical Education not yet found a solution to the gap (at least two-and-a-half months)? In view of this situation, why no steps have been taken to conduct the final year examination earlier? Why not make the necessary appointments for the smooth running of the Medical College?", questioned KHSA.
The association also called it " great injustice" that CRRI extension has been mandated only for doctors of government medical colleges and not for the doctors of the private medical colleges.
The association added, "As the young doctors of more than 20 private medical colleges in Kerala go ahead with the process of permanent registration, do we have to be subjected to occupational exploitation for the justice put forward by Kerala, the 'number one' in the field of health?" The doctors will miss out on the opportunity to appear in many competitive exams as various institutes in India have started inviting entrance exams and admissions. In addition, the next NEET PG entrance exam is expected to be held in January-February 2022. The time available for young doctors in Kerala to prepare for writing the NEET-PG will be less than three months compared to doctors in other states."
Hence, the association demanded a withdrawal of the orders issued by the Principal Secretary and the Head of the Department of Medical Education (DME) seeking to re-employ the house surgeons by extending their internship tenure. The association also demanded that the House Surgeons who have completed 365 days of duty should be given CRRI completion and take immediate action to grant permanent registration. If these demands are not met the association has decided to go on infinite strike in the medical colleges and they have also decided to approach the high court in the matter if necessary.
Talking to Medical Dialogues, Kerala House Surgeons' Association (KHSA) Secretary Dr Benhur Basheer stated, " We have already started boycotting work for the last 3 days demanding the immediate release of our CRRI completion certificate and we will consider going for an infinite strike if necessary. The government should have considered the impending situation and made arrangements accordingly to tackle the crisis. Why should we, house surgeons who served during the pandemic day and night have to grin and bear it? We will also approach the High court next week if our demands are not heard. This is high time for us to get registered and actively participate in providing treatment instead of serving internship any further."
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