The authorities of the Idukki Government Medical College (GMC) provided an explanation at a virtual meeting held by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on Wednesday in response to a show-cause notice issued to the college. The NMC had raised concerns about the inadequate facilities at the college, warning of potential fines and a reduction in the number of MBBS seats for the next academic year if the issues were not addressed. The notice also required the college authorities to attend a virtual meeting to discuss the matter.
Dr. V.K. Devakumar, the Principal in-charge of Idukki Medical College, attended the virtual meeting and outlined the steps taken to address the infrastructural inadequacies identified by the NMC expert panel. Dr. Devakumar explained that several measures had been initiated to improve the facilities, and additional efforts were planned to complete the necessary upgrades after the general election. He highlighted the challenges posed by the college’s remote location and smaller population, which contributed to some of the inadequacies. Despite these challenges, Dr. Devakumar expressed optimism that the issues could be resolved and presented a detailed statement of facts regarding the panel’s findings to the commission.
A low number of surgeries and a lack of sufficient staff were among the specific deficiencies at the college that the NMC panel pointed out in its show-cause notice. The commission had ordered the college administration to provide an explanation to the commission within three days as to why the number of MBBS seats for the 2024–2025 academic year should not be decreased and whether or not a financial penalty should be applied in accordance with the law.
Idukki Medical College second-year MBBS students staged an ongoing demonstration in front of the casualty block in reaction to the show-cause notice, calling for the provision of laboratories and basic amenities. The students demonstrated their protest by covering their mouths with black cloth, underscoring the urgent need for better facilities. Student organizers claim that this was the fourth protest to be organized in support of the college’s basic amenities. After earlier demonstrations, the government had promised to set up lab facilities by April, but they had broken their word.
The absence of laboratory facilities, which are crucial for their education and hands-on training, was one of the main complaints made by the students. They brought up the fact that during the NMC inspection period, the authorities had made temporary arrangements for faculty, but that these faculty members had since been relocated to other medical colleges. Although the second-year MBBS classes were supposed to end in October, they had begun in February and the students had not yet seen a working lab, which posed a serious obstacle to their study.
The college’s serious infrastructure problems are highlighted by the student demonstrations. Inadequate facilities have an effect on students’ general morale as well as the quality of their education. The students contended that in order to guarantee they got the high-quality education they were promised, a permanent solution was required and that the interim steps taken by the government were insufficient.
The issue of inadequate facilities in medical colleges, especially those located in distant areas, has gained attention due to the show-cause notice and the protests that followed. The predicament facing Idukki Medical College is representative of the difficulties encountered by healthcare facilities in sparserly populated areas. These obstacles include the difficulty of finding and keeping skilled workers, the scarcity of funds for the development of infrastructure, and practical problems associated with the delivery of healthcare services.
The show-cause notice and the NMC’s involvement are important reminders that medical colleges must be closely supervised and regulated to guarantee that they adhere to the necessary standards. The commission’s initiatives are intended to maintain institutional accountability while guaranteeing that students have a top-notch education that fully equips them for jobs in medicine. The circumstance does, however, also emphasize the need for a more helpful strategy that takes into account the particular difficulties that distant universities experience.
The circumstances at Idukki Government Medical College are representative of the more general problems that distant medical schools encounter. The students’ complaints and the insufficient facilities highlight how urgently resources and infrastructure need to be improved. While the NMC’s supervision is essential for guaranteeing that standards are followed, these institutions also require focused assistance to handle their unique set of problems. Idukki Medical College administrators need to act swiftly and decisively to rectify the deficiencies found and guarantee that their students receive the high-quality education they are entitled to.
SOURCE:
THE HINDU
