Medical college teachers boycott OP services over pending demands

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Medical college teachers, under the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA), boycotted outpatient (OP) services on Wednesday as part of the ongoing protest demanding better service conditions. The OP clinics were managed by house surgeons and senior residents. Academic sessions and other non-emergency services were affected. The organisation stated that despite months of demonstrations and repeated representations, the government has not initiated any meaningful steps to address their concerns. KGMCTA said doctors in medical colleges are currently staging a relay OP boycott. The association pointed out that even after the OP boycotts held on October 20 and 28, the government has not come forward for discussions or taken any steps to resolve the issues. They plan to hold similar protests on November 13, 21, and 29 as part of the continuing agitation. KGMCTA listed its demands, which include the immediate rectification of salary anomalies in the entry cadre of assistant professor posts and the speeding up of PSC appointments. They also demanded that the arrears from the last pay revision be released without further delay. The association further called on the government to avoid unnecessary temporary transfers, to conduct regular appointments in line with National Medical Commission norms, and to increase the sanctioned number of doctor posts in proportion to patient load and treatment requirements. It also sought upgradation of infrastructure facilities in all government medical colleges. KGMCTA warned that if there is no favourable response from the government in the coming days, it would be compelled to intensify its agitation and move towards an indefinite strike.