Government doctors have taken exception to an order issued by the government “unilaterally” extending the outpatient clinic timings in Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the State from 9 a.m till 6 p.m. The current timings of the OP clinics in the CHCs are from 9 a.m. till 2 p.m.
Expressing its strong protest, the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) said that the government’s move to extend the timings without ensuring adequate human resources in healthcare institutions would impose a huge burden on clinicians and seriously affect the quality of care rendered to patients.
The order issued by the government on December 20 says that those CHCs which have a minimum of three doctors should ensure that the OP clinics function from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m.
It further said that CHCs which are currently rendering in-patient care and those CHCs which are currently functioning till 6 p.m, should continue to maintain the current timings.
The KGMOA pointed out that the work conditions as well as responsibilities of CHCs are quite different from that of Family Health Centres. The government has neither been following its own orders regarding the basic human resources requirements in these institutions nor has it created a single additional post for CHCs, it said.
Of the three doctors in a CHC, the civil surgeon, who is the charge officer, usually has his hands full with administrative work as well as the implementation of various national and State health initiatives. This leaves the other two doctors to handle the OP clinics till 6 p.m., taking turns. This would burden the doctors who have to manage 250-300 patients.
“There are GOs issued earlier, which says that a CHC should have one civil surgeon and four assistant surgeons and that a CHC running in-patient clinics round the clock should have seven doctors, apart from the charge officer. But most CHCs are barely managing with temporary hands. Doctors are forced to work without availing offs or casual leaves or holidays because people get agitated if at all the doctor is not available,” a government doctor said.
“In one of the FHCs in Chirayinkeezhu, there are just two doctors. The lone lab technician and one of the doctors have been put on Sabarimala duty, which means that the other doctor has to manage the OP clinic alone on all days, unable to take even a casual leave if required. This is a human rights violation,” he added.
“Without at least four doctors, OP clinics in CHCs cannot be run till 6 p.m. It is not physically possible to give the best of care to patients unless adequate human resources are in place. It will lead to unnecessary tension and patient dissatisfaction in CHCs,” said Jobin Joseph, KGMOA general secretary.
The government should withdraw its impractical decisions or provide adequate personnel in healthcare institutions. Any attempt to overburden doctors who are already under severe stress would be resisted, the KGMOA said.
Published – December 26, 2025 07:41 pm IST
