Few takers for doctor posts in Kerala

THRISSUR: While black fever looms large on the district, many vacant posts for doctors in Government hospitals across the district have remain unfilled.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, district medical officer Dr Suhatha revealed that the vacancies included 26 posts of assistant surgeon, three civil surgeon, 29 specialists and five posts in the administrative cadre.

The DMO had sought the need for filling 23 posts urgently in these hospitals but only two have been filled.

“Many are learnt to have gone for higher studies and others have shown no interest in joining,” added the DMO. Now she has given a final order for joining by Thursday.

While the monsoon rains have brought communicable diseases including black fever, the ailing condition of the district hospital in the city is adding fuel to the fire.

The buildings of the hospital are in bad shape. The staff crunch has reached such a level that security personnel take up charge of the outpatient service at the hospital.

Meanwhile, a surgeon practicing in a private hospital at Thrissur, opined that most students opted for higher studies after MBBS rather than looking for a job.

When they returned after securing a post-graduate degree, he or she would have determined to work in a private hospital. 

The surgeon said that the reason for this is that while a surgeon’s post in a government hospital offers Rs 50,000 per month, there are cha-nces of drawing Rs1 lakh at a private hospital.

Also, now that government hospitals have started practicing the contributory pension scheme, it has resulted in fewer takers for government jobs.

Meanwhile, two more cases of black fever are suspected in the district and a detailed check- up is being done in the medical college to confirm it.

Also, the district medical wing has embarked on strong measures to fight black fever. 252 residents of the colony where the disease is believed to have originated have been screened.

The team has been camping in the colony studying the vector. The disease is characterised by a late symptom display and hence the density of the disease spread cannot be summarised fast.

Moreover, the DMO has also asked the public to initiate self-protection methods. Among the measures listed are — rushing to the doctor after being detected with fever, wearing long clothes and avoiding sleeping on plain floors.