Kannur medical college to open Monday; stir to go on

ANJARAKKANDY (KANNUR):  The protest by the 99 employees of the Kannur Medical College at Anjarakkandy is still going on. However, at  a meeting convened on Friday by Kannur DySP P.P. Sadanandan to discuss the law and order situation on the campus, the employees’ representatives made it clear that they were not preventing anyone from entering the hospital but had only restored to peaceful protest. Based on the assurance, the KMC authorities informed the parents that the hostels will open on Saturday and regular classes will start on Monday.

The  college has been shut down from October 21 and the classes were indefinitely suspended following the protest. However, since the hospital would not function due to the staff protest, it is not clear how the students can get practical classes. The employees started the protest under the leadership of CITU demanding minimum wages and bonus from September 13 and has requested the doctors, students and patients to co-operate with the protest by not entering the campus. “We are not against students  or doctors.  The minimum wage and bonus are the right of employees. This is a hospital with 700 beds and they are bound to follow the rules,” said V.V Balakrishnan, Kannur District Hospital and Medical Shop Employees Union secretary.

“We are also worried about students’ future and wanted to reach an amicable solution at the earliest,” added Dellin Mathew, a protesting staffer. Meanwhile, KMC Principal Dr. S. Muneeruddin Ahmed  refused to sign the agreement reached between the management and protesters over the entry to the college citing the Medical College and Hospital cannot be treated differently. “Without the hospital functions, the Medical College cannot be run and that’s why I didn’t sign the agreement,” he added.

Protest worries students, locals

It is not just the students who are worried about the ongoing protest at
the Kannur Medical College at Anajarakkandy here.  For many locals, their daily bread and butter depends on the 700-bed hospital where  300 outpatients come every day. The autorickshaw drivers on the campus stand are sitting idle on the hospital lawn whereas the medical shop, hotel and the canteen on the campus have been shut down.

Students are lamenting  the lack of practical experience whereas the parents are worried about possible Medical Council of India intervention which may even lead to the derecognition of the courses. “Both parties should reach an amicable solution at the earliest. There are many people depending on this hospital and at present we are struggling to run our business,” lamented a shopkeeper.

“For the last one month, no patients are there in the hospital and there are no practical classes. We are  worried about the situation and I have no idea how this will affect our course,” said Theertha Prabhakaran. “The college management fails to garner the local support and that must be the reason for bringing the issue to this level.  The minimum number of classes should be ensured by the authorities, otherwise it would even lead to the MCI intervention which may be detrimental to the students,” added K.V. Prabhakaran, a parent.