The government policy of converting general hospitals into medical colleges has come under sharp criticism from various quarters, including doctors.
The general hospitals of Manjeri, Palakkad and Idukki, which were converted three years ago into medical colleges, have lost their strength and effectiveness.
The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) has asked the State government to withdraw from its move to convert the general hospital at Thiruvananthapuram into a medical college. “It will destroy yet another popular centre of medical treatment,” said A.K. Raoof, KGMOA State general secretary.
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Dr. Raoof and M. Kesavanunni, KGMOA vice president, said here that the government should focus on increasing the number of postgraduate seats to bring out more specialist doctors. “The need of the hour is not an increase in MBBS seats,” they said.
Enhance quality
They said 250 postgraduate medical students had lost Medical Council of India (MCI)’s approval two years ago because of the shortage of faculty. “The government should enhance the quality of education in the existing medical colleges. District and general hospitals should be upgraded to super-specialty level. That’s the need of the hour,” they said.
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The general hospital at Manjeri had 501 bed three years ago; but when it became a Medical College, the number of beds came down to 410. The number of in-patients here came down to 320 from 550 three years ago.
When it was a general hospital, it used to handle more than 400 childbirths a month. But today, the medical college handles less than 270 childbirths. Three years ago, all specialty departments had 24-hour call duty. This had come down drastically, the doctors said.
The in-patient treatment in physical medicine, palliative and radiotherapy wings has stopped with the hospital becoming a medical college. The 35-bedded ophthalmology section has reduced to 10 beds.
“The government and people should realise that medical colleges are meant for studies and research whereas general hospitals are for treatment,” said Dr. Raoof.
KGMOA says the move will destroy yet another popular centre of medical treatment.