28-05-2025
Shortage of doctors hits Peravoor taluk hospital in Kannur; KGMOA stages protest
Severe shortage of doctors has hit the functioning of the Peravoor taluk hospital, prompting the Kerala Government Medical Officer's Association (KGMOA) to launch a protest demanding urgent intervention by the Health department in the matter.
KGMOA district president V.S. Jidhin said the hospital, which has only 14 doctors including the superintendent, was grappling with three vacancies with one doctor on long leave and another assigned to a tribal mobile unit. The only gynaecologist is forced to work round the clock, and the services of the night emergency department have been suspended due to staff crunch.
'Ideally, five doctors are required daily to manage emergency services in a taluk hospital, but the Peravoor hospital now relies on just two. This has forced even specialists to take up emergency duties, disrupting the general outpatient services that cater for over 700 patients daily,' he said.
The situation is expected to worsen with the onset of the monsoon as the hospital, the only major medical facility in the region, is currently unable to run general medicine, paediatric and fever clinics, he added.
The KGMOA alleged that the situation got aggravated due to the redeployment of doctors attached to the hospital to non-health related duties, including the Kottiyoor festival, in violation of government directives.
The association pointed out that two doctors were transferred out of the district recently, but there were no replacements for them. With over 80 vacancies of doctors reported across the district, the KGMOA said that arbitrary assignments and keeping vacancies unfilled hit both routine care and disease control during the monsoon season.
The association demanded immediate filling of vacancies.
