The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA) has objected to the government’s decision to deploy doctors from government medical colleges alone to conduct base camp at Sabarimala during the upcoming pilgrimage season
Usually, during the pilgrimage season, to provide emergency medical assistance to people, Pathanamthitta General Hospital is used as the base camp, with doctors from the Health Service taking on special duty. However, this year, the government has decided to make Konni Government Medical college as the base hospital, with doctors from government medical colleges put on duty .
Over 60 doctors from General Medicine, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Anaesthesiology, Paediatrics, ENT and Ophthalmology have been put on duty. This is apart from the postings at Appachimedu, Neelimala and Pampa
The cardiac events, accident and trauma care that many pilgrims to Sabarimala require, needs a fully equipped Cath lab, ICU, CCU and neurosurgery facilities. Konni Government Medical College is an institution in its infancy and it is not practical to make this hospital as the base camp, the KGMCTA said in a statement here on Tuesday.
Medical colleges are already reeling under severe faculty shortage, including that of senior residents and the new postings at Sabarimala can upset the functioning of medical colleges and create hardships to people, the KGMCTA pointed out.
