Services go haywire at govt hospitals as doctors begin stir

With the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) going on a State-wide indefinite strike, outpatient (OP) services at all government hospitals in the district were affected, leaving poor patients spend more time and money for either seeing doctors at casualty or private hospitals.

The District General Hospital, which usually serves more than 2,000 patients a day, offered limited service on Friday, even as a few doctors helped in handling the crowd at the casualty. No OP tickets were issued. However, the hospital superintendent said a general OP service was made available with the help of 10 doctors from the National Health Mission (NHM). The protest by KGMOA against the government’s “unscientific” schemes was total in the district, according to Dr. Deepa K.H., district president of the association.

“We are not against the people,” she said, adding, “The strike is to improve the quality of service. The government is trying to implement a ‘patient-friendly’ scheme without improving the staff pattern and infrastructure facilities.”

Of the 119 government hospitals in the district, only doctors on contract appointed by NHM and those who are not part of the KGMOA worked on Friday, Dr. Deepa said. Doctors who are part of the association also kept away from private practice.

At the Piravom government hospital, three doctors who were on strike attended to patients at the casualty, said Dr. Deepa. Public health centres and community health centres, with doctors who are part of KGMOA, did not offer OP service.