Kerala Medical College Teachers' Protest Intensifies Over Unresolved Salary Arrears
The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) has confirmed that their ongoing protest and boycott of official duties will continue, as their primary demand for payment of salary arrears dating back to January 2016 remains unresolved. This prolonged industrial action has significantly disrupted medical services across government medical college hospitals in the state.
Core Demands and Ongoing Boycott
Medical college doctors, under the leadership of KGMCTA, are maintaining their boycott of outpatient (OP) services, non-emergency surgeries, and all academic activities. Additionally, they continue their hunger strike as a form of protest. The issue of salary arrears, including those accumulated during the pandemic period, was a central point of discussion during recent high-level meetings.
KGMCTA state president, Dr. Rosnara Beegum T, stated, "Medical college doctors, under the leadership of KGMCTA, continued their boycott of OP services, non-emergency surgeries, academic activities and hunger strike." She further explained that representatives held crucial discussions with the Chief Minister, Health Minister, and Finance Minister on Monday to address these longstanding grievances.
Government Discussions and Ministerial Response
During the discussions, the ministers acknowledged the legitimacy of the association's demands. The Chief Minister agreed to consult with the Finance Minister regarding the salary arrears; however, no concrete decision or resolution has been announced yet. The organization expressed appreciation for the Health Minister's strong advocacy in pushing for steps to address the salary arrears during internal governmental discussions.
"The ministers acknowledged the legitimacy of the demands raised during the discussion," Dr. Rosnara Beegum T noted. "The organization appreciated the stance of the health minister, who strongly advocated for steps to be taken to address the salary arrears during discussions with the finance minister."
The association now expects the Health and Finance Ministries to take immediate and decisive action to release the pending salary arrears without further delay. "We hope for discussions between the chief minister and the finance minister and await favourable outcomes," the association leader added, while also expressing regret for the inconvenience caused to patients, emphasizing that the protest was a last resort after exhausting all other avenues.
Severe Impact on Hospital Services
The ongoing strike by senior doctors has seriously affected the normal functioning of government medical college hospitals across Kerala. With attending physicians and professors boycotting duties, the responsibility of manning hospital services has fallen to postgraduate students and house surgeons.
This shift in staffing has led to a dramatic decrease in patient turnout. The number of patients visiting Medical College Hospitals (MCHs) across the state has plummeted from an average of 4,000 daily to just 1,000-1,500, indicating a significant loss of public confidence in the available services during the protest period.
Related Development: KGMOA Cooperation with Attukal Pongala
In a separate but related development, the Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) has decided to fully cooperate with the duties related to the Attukal Pongala festival. This decision was made following talks between association leaders and Health Minister Veena George.
Additionally, outpatient services are scheduled to resume at the Nedumangad District Hospital from Wednesday. Dr. Sunita N., district president of KGMOA's Thiruvananthapuram unit, stated, "Respecting the sentiments of the devotees and the public interest, KGMOA Thiruvananthapuram district unit has decided to fully cooperate with the Attukal Pongala duties."
This cooperative decision comes in the wake of discussions held by the KGMOA state leadership with Health Minister Veena George and following the arrest of two accused in a violent incident that occurred at the Nedumangadu hospital, indicating a partial de-escalation in medical service disruptions for specific community events.
