House surgeons and doctors at Government Medical College Hospital, Palakkad, have gone on strike, protesting the absence of essential diagnostic and emergency facilities, including X-ray and CT scan services.
House surgeons and doctors at Government Medical College Hospital in Palakkad, Kerala, have launched a strike over the lack of basic facilities at the medical college.
The protest followed an accident on the medical college campus on Monday. Following the incident, injured doctors were reportedly referred to the district hospital for further examination and treatment. The incident highlighted concerns over the lack of essential diagnostic services at the medical college.
No X-Ray or CT Scan Facilities
According to the protesting doctors, the medical college does not have X-ray or CT scan facilities. They alleged that patients requiring these investigations, including accident victims, have to be referred to the district hospital.
Doctors said such referrals can cause significant delays in diagnosis and treatment. According to their claims, diagnostic reports may take around three to four hours to be obtained after a patient is referred to the district hospital.
The doctors expressed concern that such delays could prove critical for seriously ill patients, whose condition may deteriorate while they wait for necessary diagnostic reports.
Doctors Raise Concerns Over Emergency Care
Duty doctors said the absence of basic diagnostic facilities raises serious concerns about the hospital’s ability to provide timely emergency care.
They also pointed out that Palakkad District Medical College is the only medical college in the country functioning under the Scheduled Castes Development Department.
The strike has brought renewed attention to the infrastructure and healthcare facilities available at the medical college and raised questions about the availability of essential emergency diagnostic services for patients.
Doctors Demand Basic Medical Infrastructure
The protesting house surgeons and doctors have highlighted the need for essential diagnostic infrastructure within the medical college so that patients can receive timely examination and treatment without being referred elsewhere for basic investigations.
The lack of on-site X-ray and CT scan services has emerged as a key concern, particularly in cases involving trauma and other medical emergencies where delays in diagnosis can affect treatment decisions.