Thiruvananthapuram: Doctors in government medical colleges across Kerala boycotted Outpatient (OP) services on Monday, intensifying their protest over a series of unresolved issues affecting the state’s medical education and healthcare system.
Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA), which represents the faculty, has stated that the strike was called after repeated appeals to the government failed to yield any tangible action.
Their demands include implementing pay revision, appointing adequate doctors in proportion to patient load, and putting an end to arbitrary transfers.
While OP services will remain suspended, the services of junior doctors and postgraduate doctors will continue in the medical colleges.
The protest is the latest in a series of escalating agitations. On October 2, KGMCTA organised statewide candlelight protests and sit-ins at 6.30 p.m. at all medical colleges to highlight growing frustration among faculty. This was followed by a statewide sit-in on October 10, signaling the union’s warning of stronger action if the government fails to respond.
Kerala has 12 government medical colleges offering MBBS programmes, with a total intake of 1,755 MBBS seats. These institutions form the backbone of the state’s medical education and a significant part of its public healthcare network.
“We have been raising long-standing issues, including unpaid salaries, pending dearness allowance arrears, discrepancies in entry-level cadre pay, and the failure to create new teaching posts in recently established medical colleges. Instead of expanding faculty strength, the relocation of existing staff has worsened shortages, affecting both medical education and patient care,” said a protesting doctor to IANS.
KGMCTA officials pointed out that these challenges have also obstructed the induction of young doctors into the system. The faculty had earlier staged a “black day” protest on September 22 and a statewide sit-in on September 23.
Despite assurances from the state cabinet, no concrete steps have been taken to address their demands, they said. The association has warned that if the issues remain unresolved, it will launch a relay strike, underscoring the growing unrest among medical college faculty demanding fair pay, staffing, and better working conditions.
(IANS)
