House surgeons at the Kottayam Government Medical College boycotted work for two hours on Tuesday as a mark of protest against what they termed “utter apathy towards their demands by the authorities”.
According to Jishant B. James, president of the district unit of the Kerala House Surgeons Association (KHSA), they had submitted a three point charter of demands to the authorities and had been pressing for its implementation for the past one year. “We had held direct interaction with the Minister for Health thrice during the past one month, but to no avail,” he said.
The demands include improvement in basic amenities, increase in the stipend amount and steps to ensure congenial working atmosphere. In certain departments, the house surgeons have to work consecutively for 48 to 60 hours, Mr. James said and added that the lack of basic amenities like restrooms has affected the quality of the work being put in by the house surgeons. The authorities have already put in the work pattern for 150 house surgeons at Kottayam Medical College, though the present batch was the last one having 100 seats.
“Presently, 87 house surgeons are trying to cope up with the work load intended for 150 hands as the first 150-student batch from Kottayam Government Medical College would pass out only next year,” Mr. James said.
As a mark of protest, the house surgeons boycotted their duties from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday. They also took out a protest march within the college campus.
