GH doctors to boycott duty on new medical college inaugural day

Thiruvananthapuram: The new government medical college, which will be inaugurated on Wednesday, will be opened inside the General Hospital compound amidst confusions. This will be the second medical college in the city.
The doctors of the General Hospital have already alleged that many of their facilities are being utilized for the new hospital. The doctors have decided to boycott duty for an hour at the time of inauguration of the hospital.Government hospitals in the district will observe a protest day.
In the five-storey building, being constructed for the new medical college, only three rooms has been completed.
The Kerala government medical officers association (KGMOA) has alleged that the inauguration of the Medical College is being done in a haste without ensuring adequate facilities.
"Instead of ensuring adequate facilities to cater to the needs of patients, the new complex is being inaugurated with only few rooms completed and utilizing the existing facilities of the General Hospital," said Dr G S Vijayakrishnan, district president of KGMOA.
Even though the government has assured that the services of the General Hospital will not be affected, for the time being the General Hospital OP will have to function as the OP for the new hospital since the new OP block has not been completed yet.
However health minister V S Sivakumar is keen to inaugurate the hospital before the election notification comes. He also wants to begin the MBBS course from the academic session beginning on August.
The KGMOA has alleged that during the Medical Council Of India inspection the government wants to project the existing facilities of the General Hospital. "We are still confused whether the General Hospital will be entirely converted into the MCH or it will be retained as GH,'' said Dr Vijayakrishnan.