Telangana government medical colleges in a fix as 30 senior super specialist doctors soon to retire

HYDERABAD: Medicos in government medical colleges and officials of the State Health Department are in for a rough a ride as at least 30 senior super specialist doctors with rich experience in surgeries, medical procedures and teaching are set to retire by the end of this year.

The implications are manifold. Super speciality medical services, such as organ transplantations in prominent government hospitals are likely to take a hit, in addition to medicos losing out on the opportunity of gaining knowledge from the specialists. On the same note, retaining post-graduate seats in government medical colleges might end up becoming difficult if there are not experienced Heads of Departments.

If the State government intended to address the issue, time is of essence, suggested senior doctors working at government hospitals and officials in the health department. They said that private medical colleges would begin competing with each other to recruit the retiring super specialist doctors by offering them bountiful remunerations — Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 4 lakhs per month. In fact, private agents would start approaching the professors a few months before their retirement, they said.

The health department no longer has the option of elevating associate professors to professors as promotions were already granted a few months ago. “In several speciality departments, there are no eligible candidates to be promoted as professors. It will take at least two more years for them to become eligible for a professor’s post,” said top sources in the department.

The issue of retirement of experienced professors can come in the way of government’s efforts to improve medical services in the State and raise the number of medical seats in colleges. As per rules, three PG seats are granted per professor to a medical college. “If inspections are conducted with not even one professor in the post, there is a possibility of losing PG Seats,” sources said.

Dr DVSRK Prasad, Head of Urology department at Osmania Medical College and well-known for his kidney transplantations, is set to retire on February 28. Reportedly, there are no eligible candidates to replace him. Double whammy awaits the government Urology services as another professor is set to retire from Urology department of Gandhi Hospital in May, 2019.

The situation is not uncommon to the health department; last year, more than 50 faculty members had retired.

HRDA members urge reappointment of docs

Members of the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) submitted a representation to the Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare department A Santhi Kumari urging re-appointment of professors set to retire, on contract, in departments where there is requirement.