Kerala government doctors on Monday objected to the state's order extending outpatient (OP) timings till 2 pm. In a statement, the Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) said that extending OP timings without creating new posts or strengthening human resources would only increase the burden on existing doctors, despite the rising patient load.

The Health and Family Welfare Department on Sunday issued an order detailing the duties and responsibilities of medical officers in various cadres of the Health Services Department. Under the common duties listed for the casualty medical officer (CMO), assistant surgeon, for the speciality cadre common duties and the consultants, the outpatient (OP) timings have been extended from 8 am to 2 pm.

The KGMOA said the extension was included in the duties and responsibilities order instead of being issued as a separate directive informing doctors about the change. According to the association, rather than addressing the existing issues in the healthcare system, the government has adopted what it termed a "shrewd" method of extending doctors' working hours to manage the current situation. The association warned that the move could push doctors into physical and emotional distress and compromise the quality of care, as many are already working with limited facilities and inadequate staff.

The KGMOA urged the government to ensure a proper doctor-patient ratio by placing a cap on the number of patients each doctor examines to maintain quality care. It also called for the immediate creation of new posts to prevent doctors from being overworked. If the government does not withdraw the order, which it termed "completely autocratic and anti-democratic", the association said doctors would be forced to launch statewide demonstrations and protests.