THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the police tightening its noose around the doctors in connection with the death of Tirunelveli resident Murukan who was denied treatment, the doctors’ associations have threatened to go on flash strike if their colleagues are arrested in the case. Murukan died after being denied treatment in five hospitals including Trivandrum Medical College. The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) which represents the doctors of government medical colleges in the state has warned of direct action if the police went ahead with the arrests.
The KGMCTA had already served strike notice to director of Medical Education and other authorities warning of flash strike in the event of arrest of doctors. However, there is no response to the notice from the authorities yet and no intimation for negotiations with the association. Doctors say the government should look into the real issues plaguing the medical college hospitals in the state. When compared with the patients coming to the medical college hospitals for treatment, the number of doctors, nursing staff, support staff and cleaning stiff is woefully less. This is adversely affecting the treatment being given to patients especially those coming to the casualty wings.
The doctors association has demanded immediate steps to raise the strength of the doctors and nursing staff to ensure proper treatment to the patients. Immediate concern should be to put in place short term and long term solutions. However, the government was trying short cuts by holding the staff responsible for mishaps happening in the medical institutions. Any attempt to make doctors sacrificial goats would be resisted with full strength, the association added. The KGMCTA said the need of the hour is close coordination between different agencies including police, ambulance services and medical colleges for timely life saving intervention in emergencies.
