Medical college doctors, nurses intensify stir, patients to have tough time

Thiruvananthapuram: Patients are likely to have a harrowing time in all government medical college hospitals across the state following Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association’s decision to boycott outpatient services for two hours.

The boycott of OPs has been announced from 8am to 10am which incidentally is also the peak time in medical college hospitals. The doctors will, however, discharge COVID-19 duties and emergency casualty services. "We have planned the agitation in such a manner that it does not affect COVID care related activities or casualty services," said KGMCTA state president Dr V K Suresh Babu.

The doctors and nurses of Thiruvananthapuram medical college decided to intensify their agitation to put pressure on the government for revoking the suspension of three staff including the COVID nodal officer.

The action against the staff was initiated after an elderly patient who was discharged from COVID ward was found with maggots wriggling all over his wounds. The government on the other hand has decided not to succumb to the pressure of doctors and nurses.

The KGMCTA has also decided to boycott indefinitely all medical care services and medical education activities barring COVID and casualty services, from Tuesday onwards if the government failed to intervene in the matter and redress their grievances. COVID Nodal Officers working in government medical colleges will tender their resignation. In many medical colleges the nodal officers had relinquished their post on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the 48 hour relay hunger strike organized by the KGMCTA against the government action will conclude on Tuesday. The members of Kerala Government Nurses Union also started a hunger strike in front of the medical college on Monday demanding the revocation of suspension.

The nurses union has warned if the government failed to yield to their demands, they would shift the venue of agitation from medical college to the secretariat. The union has plans to organize indefinite hunger strike and satyagraha in front of secretariat.

More doctors associations’ have come forward against the government. Kerala Government Post Graduate Medical Teachers Association and Kerala Government Specialist Doctors Association have urged the government to refrain from actions that break the confidence of the health workers.

The shocking incident of maggots wriggling over the wounds of Vattiyoorkavu resident Anil Kumar came to light when he was discharged and sent home. Subsequently he was admitted to the Government Hospital Peroorkada and his condition improved.

The circumstances leading to the shocking condition of Anil Kumar was probed by authorities’ including the Director of Medical Education. It was on the recommendation of the inquiry officers that additional secretary of the health department suspended medical college COVID Nodal Officer Dr Arun, head nurses Leena Kunjan and K V Rajani from service.