The Medical Council of India (MCI) has shot down the State’s plans to begin a new government medical college in the capital in the coming academic year. The MCI executive committee asked the Central government not to sanction the new medical college in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016-17 as it did not meet many requirements.
In an assessment conducted in January, the MCI had found that the proposed medical college had more than 30 per cent faculty shortage, more than 57 per cent residents’ shortage, and the medical superintendent unqualified to hold that post.
The MCI decided to shoot down the proposal considering various other deficiencies too, including lack of a website. The MCI decision has given jolt to the United Democratic Front (UDF) government on the eve of the Assembly elections.
The government’s decision to set up the new medical college with an intake of 100 seats a year by upgrading the existing general hospital had evoked criticism from different quarters. The MCI, in its letter to the Central government, said that K.V. Viswanath, medical superintendent, was not eligible to hold that post as he had only four years of administrative experience.
The assessment panel had found that teaching areas were not available in outpatient department. It also found the special clinics in paediatrics outpatient department inadequate. The MCI said the proposed medical college lacked audiometry and speech therapy facility. On the day of assessment, the team had found no workload of histopathology and cytopathology.
The MCI noted that the medical college did not have minor operation theatre, central oxygen and central suction facility. In the labour room, beds for eclampsia and septic cases were not available. It also found that ethylene oxide (ETO) sterilizer was not available.
The MCI said that college building and lecture theatres were under construction, and only site was marked for hostels for students, residents, and nurses.
