Thrissur Government Medical College doctors protest mass transfers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Medical college doctors have said the decision to transfer 20 teachers and eight senior residents from Thrissur and Kozhikode medical colleges to Manjeri Medical College will have far reaching consequences on the medical education sector and specialist health care in these hospitals. The transfer could also put the recognition of Thrissur and Kozhikode medical colleges in jeopardy. The teachers whose names figure in the transfer list had marked their presence during the MCI inspection held in their respective institutions this academic year. Now the same set of doctors being presented as faculty of Manjeri Medical College is against the guidelines of MCI.

This could result in the cancellation of their MBBS registration, said office bearers of Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA). KGMCTA president Dr Kavitha Ravi said there was acute shortage of doctors in the existing medical colleges. Instead of recruiting doctors through PSC the authorities were redeploying staff and this practice had landed the medical education and health sector in deep crisis.

She said similar exercises were carried out to obtain recognition for Konni and Idukki medical colleges in the past and such attempts had failed miserably. The KGMCTA has urged the authorities to reconsider the decision in the best interest of students and patients. The decision should be withdrawn immediately as it could put the future of 1000 odd students of Thrissur and Kozhikode medical colleges in grave danger. A section of Kerala Government Medical Officers Association office bearers have also expressed surprise over the manner in which the government had taken the transfer decision.