The government’s plan to convert Pariyaram Medical College (PMC) into an autonomous institution is expected to kick off further expansion of its health-education and health-care facilities.
The proposal for the government takeover of the PMC, now controlled by the Kerala State Cooperative Hospital Complex and Centre for Advanced Medical Sciences (KSCHC & CAMS), as an autonomous institution was given the final nod at a meeting of KSCHC & CAMS director board representatives and officials convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on December 5.
“It was decided at the meeting that the medical college would be taken over by the government and would be administered as an autonomous institution,” said KSCHC & CAMS chairman Shekharan Miniyodan.
Talking to The Hindu on Tuesday, he said that the plan was to introduce the administrative model of the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an autonomous institution.
The PMC authorities are hopeful that the government will promulgate an ordinance soon taking over the institution under an autonomous administration. The college will function as a government medical college and the education fee will be on a par with that of the government college, they said.
Fate of KSCHC
The fate of the the KSCHC & CAMS after the takeover is not yet clear.
According to sources close to the medical college, the cooperative society may be held in suspension for a couple of months and its complete dissolution will be after the government takes over the society’s shares.
“Once the Ordinance comes, the new administrative body replaces the existing governing body,” observed Mr. Miniyodan, exuding the hope that it would be a good opportunity for the institution’s development.
A major hindrance to the institution’s development is financial liability, Mr. Miniyodan said.
The college management had taken Rs.46 crore from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) before 1997, he said adding that the liability had now risen to nearly Rs.600 crore, including interest and penal interest.
Higher grade institution
As an autonomous institution, the PMC will be administered as a higher grade institution, PMC officials said.
At present, the PMC hospital has 11 superspecialty departments including cardiology, nephrology and gastroenterology.
The hospital authorities have concern that the doctors in these departments who are being paid huge salary and incentive may leave because of the possible cutback in their salaries after the takeover.
The PMC authorities, however, exude the hope that an autonomous institution can pay the doctors higher grade salaries to the doctors than the salaries in the government medical college.
Free treatment
The takeover will also ensure free treatment to patients in the below the poverty category who are at present given 20 per cent concession at the PMC.
Existing employees who crossed the retirement age of 56 cannot continue in service after the takeover, according to the officials.
Doctors at the PMC, however, could continue their service till 70 years of age as retirement age for them in autonomous institutions is 70, they said.
