Kerala govt doctors oppose extension of working hours at Community Health Centres
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): An association of the government doctors in Kerala on Friday strongly opposed the state government's decision to extend the working hours of Community Health Centres from 9 am to 6 pm without increasing staff strength.
In a statement, the Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) said the move places an unfair burden on doctors and other health workers who are already overworked.
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It described the decision as impractical and unjust, taken without considering ground realities.
KGMOA pointed out that Community Health Centres function under conditions very different from Family Health Centres and have wider responsibilities.
It said existing government norms on minimum staff strength are not being followed and no new posts have been created in these centres in recent years.
The association said many Community Health Centres operate with only three doctors.
Extending OPD hours till evening would mean that, apart from the charge officer, only two doctors would have to manage the OPD till 6 pm. This could lead to situations where only one doctor is available in the OPD during peak morning hours.
"In centres that are already crowded with patients, having a single doctor in the OPD will cause dissatisfaction, conflicts and affect the quality of care," the statement said.
KGMOA demanded that the government immediately withdraw the revised order and ensure adequate human resources before taking such decisions.
It also warned that it would strongly resist any move that adds further pressure on doctors who are unable to even take their entitled leave due to heavy workload.
The statement was signed by KGMOA president Dr Sunil P K and general secretary Dr Jobin G Joseph.
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Rahul Gandhi defers decision on Karnataka leadership change: Reports
Bengaluru: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has reportedly put the decision on a possible leadership change in Karnataka on hold after receiving feedback on the potential political repercussions of such a move, according to highly placed party sources.
According to a report published by The New Indian Express on Friday, Rahul Gandhi received detailed inputs from multiple quarters, including election strategist Sunil Kanugol, suggesting that this may not be an opportune time to alter the leadership structure in the state. Based on these assessments, the high command is believed to have decided to defer any immediate decision.
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While Deputy CM DK Shivakumar is yet to get an audience with Rahul, Siddaramaiah sympathisers MLC BK Hariprasad and Minister KJ George met the LoP recently and reportedly voiced their opinion against any change in chief minister.
RDPR and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge also met Rahul, but it is not known what transpired between them.
According to party insiders, Rahul Gandhi has been advised that a leadership change at this stage could have adverse consequences for the Congress government in Karnataka. Recently, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge had said that the confusion over leadership exists only in the party’s state unit and not with the high command.
Also, AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala are busy in their states of Kerala and Haryana, respectively. While Venugopal is eyeing the CM post if the Congress wins in Kerala, Surjewala aspires to become the Haryana PCC chief.
As a result, sources said, the final call on power-sharing and leadership in Karnataka rests solely with Rahul Gandhi. However, he is expected to travel to Europe after attending the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi on December 27 and return only after January 10. Until then, no decision is expected on either a cabinet reshuffle or a change in chief minister.
In all probability, Siddaramaiah is likely to break the record set by D Devaraj Urs as the longest-serving CM. Siddaramaiah will break the record on January 6, completing 7 years and 238 days in office. Also, Siddaramaiah is expected to present a record 17th budget.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to leave for Delhi on Friday evening (December 26) to attend the CWC meeting and is likely to meet senior party leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. He is also expected to hold discussions with Union ministers regarding Karnataka-related projects but is unlikely to raise the issue of leadership change or cabinet reshuffle during this visit.
According to sources, Siddaramaiah may seek approval for a cabinet reshuffle only after Rahul Gandhi returns from his overseas visit.
