Action panel seeks round-the-clock services at Cherooppa health centre

Protest march stopped at entrance of medical college; they submit memorandum to principal

A march taken out to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, on Monday against the alleged neglect of the Cherooppa health centre. | Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

A people’s action committee led by members of the Mavoor Grama Panchayat took out a protest march to the office of the principal, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, on Monday against the alleged neglect of a health centre at Cherooppa, the only such facility in their area.

The protesters pointed out that thousands of patients, not only the residents of Mavoor, but those from nearby grama panchayats such as Peruvayal, Chathamangalam, and Perumanna in Kozhikode and Vazhakkad in Malappuram were affected by the recent suspension of inpatient (IP) services at the centre.

The medical college, which is under the Directorate of Medical Education, used to manage the IP services, while the outpatient (OP) services are controlled by the District Medical Officer under the Directorate of Health Services. The centre earlier provided 24x7 services with house surgeons from the medical college being deployed there.

The IP services, however, were stopped following the murder of house surgeon Vandana Das at the Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital last month. This was based on a government order cancelling the night shift duty of house surgeons in rural hospitals until a safety audit is performed. The hospital does not have a medical officer at night and closed-circuit television cameras, which are the other mandatory requirements for 24x7 services. The OP services also were stopped at noon.

The panchayat functionaries, meanwhile, pointed out that the dual control system had been affecting the functioning of the health centre even earlier. The buildings are in a dilapidated condition and the road to the facility is in bad shape. Central grant worth lakhs of rupees got lapsed because an implementing officer to take care of its development works was not appointed.

The protest march was stopped at the entrance of the medical college. They later submitted a memorandum to Mallika Gopinath, principal. In the memorandum, they demanded that two medical officers be deployed at the health centre to ensure round-the-clock IP and casualty services. New posts of doctors could be created if required. The medical officers should stay at the staff quarters on the premises. A committee should be formed involving people’s representatives, district collector, DMO, and the medical college principal to ensure the comprehensive development of the centre, they added.

The action committee has been holding an indefinite sit-in outside the health centre since June 13. Though steps have been taken to appoint a medical officer and two house surgeons and extend the OP services till 6 p.m., the committee said that their agitation would continue till 24x7 services are restored.