Govt sanctions 43 faculty posts for medical college

Kochi: Giving a fillip to the development of Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Ernakulam, the state cabinet decided to allot 43 faculty posts in the hospital. The posts allotted in 24 departments will augment the treatment facilities in the medical college.Industries minister P Rajeeve, who is also the MLA from Kalamassery constituency, said that the decision will help strengthen the super specialty services in the hospital. “When the work on the super specialty block is completed and new faculty join the MCH, the hospital will become the major advanced treatment centre in central Kerala,” Rajeeve. It is the posts of associate professor, assistant professor and senior residents that were allotted. The government took the decision in the wake of back-to-back tragedies like bomb blast and stampede at Kalamassery. When the victims were shifted to the MCH in large numbers during both the mishaps, the shortage of faculty, especially those in the super specialty wing, stood in the way of providing proper treatment. Then, super specialty faculty were roped in from neighbouring medical colleges to handle the situation.The decision by the government at a time when the work on the Rs 370 crore super specialty wing of the medical college is in the final stage assumes much significance. “It is really a pathbreaking decision in the history of the MCH. The most important factor is that the 43 posts include that of 12 faculty for super speciality,” said Dr N K Sanil Kumar of Justice Krishna Iyer Movement. “Krishna Iyer Movement had been demanding the same for quite some time,” he said. “The only sad thing is that the government didn’t allot plastic surgeons to the medical college. Kochi is the industrial capital of the state. If any accident occurs in any of the industrial units like oil refineries or at the airport, the MCH is the major hospital which is to handle the patient care. During the bomb blast at Kalamassery, lack of plastic surgeons at the medical college had proven critical. We expect that the government will soon consider that matter as well,” Kumar said.Recently, the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) had allotted Rs 80 crore for procuring medical equipment for the MCH. The medical education department and technical committee had vetted a detailed project report prepared by the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL) for procuring medical and allied equipment worth Rs 223 crore. Construction of the 8.27 lakh sqft super speciality building with eight floors is fast nearing completion. The cost of constructing the building is pegged at Rs 368.74 crore.
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