Kozhikode: Little did the residents of Mavoor grama panchayat in the Kozhikode district know that the murder of Dr Vandana Das at a Taluk Hospital in Kottarakkara, will put their medical needs in jeopardy.
Following the brutal killing of Dr Das by a patient on May 10 that sparked a state-wide outrage from healthcare professionals, the state government issued an order cancelling night duty of house surgeons in rural hospitals until a safety audit. Night duty is only to be allowed under the supervision of a medical officer.
That meant bad news for Mavoor, situated over 300km from Kottarakkara. Unlike most local bodies in the state, this grama panchayat with a population of nearly 30,000 has been relying on a single government medical facility since 1963. The hospital doesn't have a medical officer at night, and neither is the facility under CCTV surveillance, both mandatory for functioning 24X7.
As per the state health department, there are 673 Family Health Centres in Kerala, of which 50 are in the Kozhikode district. But Mavoor owns none, not even a primary health centre.
Mavoor's only government hospital functions at Cherupa, one of the 18 wards of the panchayat. The 60-year-old hospital that sits on 6 acres used to serve event the residents of nearby panchayats such as Chathamangalam, Peruvayal, Perumanna and Vazhakkad, a border panchayat of Malappuram district.
Now the facility is in a state of neglect and the tragic death of Dr Das has had an indirect impact on its decline. The Cherupa unit is a sub-centre of Government Medical College at Kozhikode and the local bodies have no say in its functioning.
While its in-patient section and administration wing comes under the Directorate of Medical Education, the out-patient wing functions under the District Medical Officer. Since the death of Dr Das the out-patient facility at the centre that used to be serviced by four doctors and house surgeons from the medical college and remained open 24 hours, closes at noon.
Grama panchayat's indefinite strike
The management committee and the grama panchayat is on an indefinite sit-in since June 13. A discussion between the management committee and health department on Friday failed; an agreement could not be reached on reinstatement of the 24-hour functioning of the unit. The human rights commission meantime registered a case citing institutional negligence.
This dual administrative system and the uninvolvement of local bodies are the main hurdles for the development of the centre, said T Renjith, president, Mavoor grama panchayat and member of the sub-centre.
"They stopped the night duty recently citing Dr Vandana's murder,” said Renjith. Though the medical college has its own public works wing, the roads and infrastructure at the Cherupa unit are pitiable.
"As there is no implementing officer, we cannot use state/central funds. Rs 4 lakh central aid is still in the bank account, an additional Rs 9 lakh is to come this year. The grama panchayat has approached the High Court seeking the appointment of an implementing officer; thereafter the state principal secretary sent a note to the district collector in this regard. The collector assured to extend the out-patient service until 8 pm on May 25," said Renjith, who is also a member of the hospital management committee.
'Will extend till 6pm, no 24X7 service'
On day 5 of the agitation, the medical college appointed an implementing officer. "We have appointed an associate professor as implementing officer; DMO will appoint an assistant surgeon. We will send two house surgeons too. Time will be extended to 6 pm; but we can not reinstate 24-hour service," Dr Mallika, principal, Govt Medical College told Onmanorama.
"As per the health minister's order, house surgeons cannot be assigned night duty without a medical officer present," said Dr Mallika.
Meanwhile, the management and grama panchayat want the unit brought under the DMO so that it can be reinstated to the better days its had.
They have decided to go ahead with the sit-in in front of Cherupa hospital demanding the 24-hour service to be reinstated. A protest has also been planned in front of the medical college principal's office on Monday. The panchayat has also approached the health minister.
