Thiruvananthapuram: Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar has said the proposed evening outpatient (OP) clinics in Government Medical College Hospitals (MCHs) will begin functioning from Saturday.
The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA) on Friday agreed to cooperate to run evening clinics following talks convened by Health Minsiter V.S Shivakumar here.
OP clinics at MCHs will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., while in other government hospitals, it will function from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Though the State government, in a high-level meeting convened by the Chief Minister, decided to begin evening outpatient facilities (OPs) in government medical college hospitals, taluk, district and general hospitals to tend to increasing fever cases, the KGMCTA had objected to the decision stating that it were not feasible as there were too many inpatients who needed close monitoring and follow-up.
To combat fever cases, the State Cabinet also decided to post five more doctors with immediate effect in the general medicine and paediatric departments of the state's five medical college hospitals. More lab technicians will also be posted in these hospitals.