Thiruvananthapuram: The protest by a section of radiotherapists at the Regional Cancer Centre against the Government decision to introduce multidisciplinary tumour (MDT) boards in place the UK model of site-specific clinic system has been called off.
This followed a meeting between Health secretary Rajeev Sadanandan and senior doctors at the radiotherapy department.
The meeting was convened by Mr Sadanandan on the direction of health minister K. K. Shylaja with whom striking doctors had unofficial talks on Monday. The doctors’ team was represented by Dr. K. Suresh Kumar, State secretary of Association of Radiology Oncologists of India and joint action council State president, Dr. A. Saji, joint action council secretary, Dr. Aravind S. Anand, vice president, joint action council, and Dr. Ashwin, RCC deputy superintendent.
Mr Sadanandan has directed Dr. Paul Sebastian, the RCC director, to convene a meeting of heads of departments at RCC on Wednesday. If the grievances of radiotherapists are not sorted out, they could revert to the health secretary with pending issues.
After talks with the RCC doctors, Mr Sadanandan has promised to rectify anomalies, if any. Currently clinical oncologists at RCC can work only in allotted departments.
“Currently there is no system of multidisciplinary tumour boards in RCC. It was decided for the first time in the history of the country that pediatric cancer clinics will have radiologists”, said Dr. Suresh Kumar to DC. With patients thronging the RCC it is cumbersome to discuss all cases before the MDT Boards, doctors say.
