THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Patient care in six government medical college hospitals was affected partially for two hours on Friday following the protest by the Kerala Medical Joint Action Council against the decision to increase retirement age of doctors from 60 to 62. The JAC had exempted emergency casualty services, labour room and ICU from the protest. Junior doctors assembled on their respective campuses, took out marches and held demonstrations.
Members of Kerala Medicos Association, Kerala House Surgeons Association, Kerala Medical PG Association, PSC Rank Holders Association and the Junior Doctors Association took part in the protests. The JAC has decided to meet Chief Minister and health minister to request them to roll back the order raising the retirement age. The junior doctors are also planning to meet the top leaders of political parties to seek their support.
The JAC will on Saturday launch an awareness campaign on medical college campuses about the adverse impact of the decision on the job prospects at the entry grade level and promotion chances of the junior faculty. The JAC will also use the social media effectively to build public opinion against the decision. Kerala Medical Joint Action Council president Dr U.R. Rahul said the campaign will be intensified in the coming days. During the campaign, the focus will be on the major demands which include immediate roll back of the decision to raise retirement age, creation of posts commensurate with increase in patient load, appointment of doctors on a regular basis in both medical education and health service departments and abolition of bond system.
The council reiterated that 2,000 doctors were awaiting appointment to the post of assistant surgeons in the health department and more than 200 doctors under medical education directorate at the moment. Moreover, about 3,500 doctors are coming out of medical colleges in the state and an equal number of medicos was arriving here from outside the state. The retirement age increase has come as a bolt from the blue for these sections of medical professionals, the JAC pointed out.
