Despite the indefinite OP strike called by the KGMCTA, the OP department at the Government Medical College Hospital, Ernakulam, functioned as usual as patients queued up for medical care.
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
The Outpatient (OP) department at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Ernakulam, functioned as usual on Monday (February 2, 2026)despite the indefinite strike called by the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA). A total of 1,553 patients sought medical services at the department on the day, most of them unaware that such a strike was under way.
The strike did not affect the hospital’s functioning as doctors from the Co-operative Academy of Professional Education (CAPE) joined duty and did not take part in the protest.
Ernakulam Medical College Superintendent Dr. Ganesh Mohan said that the OP department functioned as on any normal working day despite the strike. Medical services were not affected, he added.
The OP department experienced a rush as on any normal day, said Sobhana Thevan, who had accompanied her brother to the hospital. “I didn’t know that there was a strike under way. We could get the necessary medical help,” Ms. Thevan said.
Rosemary Robin, a third-year textile design student who had come for a follow-up orthopaedic visit after a fractured leg, echoed the same sentiment. “I have been coming here for the past several weeks following my fracture. Today, I have a follow-up visit and I am waiting to see the doctor,” Ms. Robin said.
Meanwhile, the KGMCTA Ernakulam unit conducted a protest meeting marking the commencement of the indefinite strike, raising long-pending demands related to the service conditions of government medical college teachers. The protest meeting was inaugurated by Dr. Minu Mohan, unit secretary. The gathering was addressed by Dr. Suchit Roy, Head of the Department, ENT, and Students’ Union chairperson Ajel Achamma Alex.
The protest highlighted the alleged neglect by the government in addressing critical issues affecting medical college teachers. Speakers pointed out that while new medical colleges were being commissioned and student intake had increased, the absence of proportionate faculty recruitment has adversely affected teaching standards and patient care, besides significantly increasing the workload of existing faculty. Issues highlighted included unresolved pay revision anomalies, entry cadre anomalies, the need to correct the pension ceiling, and the failure to create adequate teaching posts in newly established medical colleges.
Published – February 02, 2026 09:13 pm IST
