Thiruvananthapuram | A prominent doctors' body on Monday strongly opposed the Kerala government's decision to extend the outpatient consultation time in government hospitals till 2 pm, alleging that the move was taken unilaterally without addressing the shortage of doctors.
The Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA), the only service organisation representing all categories of doctors in health services, warned of state-wide agitation against the move.
In a statement, the association said the government order extending OP hours would increase the workload of doctors who are already working under severe pressure due to inadequate facilities and a shortage of manpower in government hospitals.
The KGMOA said that instead of creating additional posts and strengthening human resources in a scientific manner to address overcrowding and workload in hospitals, the government had resorted to what it termed a "shortcut" by merely extending the working hours of existing doctors.
"Extending OP time without increasing the number of doctors will adversely affect the quality of treatment and push doctors into severe physical and mental stress," the association noted.
The organisation, which represents doctors across all categories in the state health services, demanded that the government urgently fix a clear doctor-patient ratio to ensure quality healthcare for the public.
It also urged the government to create new posts in proportion to the increasing workload.
The association warned that it would be compelled to launch statewide protest programmes if the government did not withdraw what it described as a unilateral and undemocratic order, the statement added.
