UDF for 4 more medical colleges under Govt control

Thursday, January 19, 2012: The liaison committee meeting of the ruling United Democratic Front held here on Wednesday recommended to the government to proceed with steps to set up four more medical colleges in the state.
The medical colleges, to be run under charitable societies, would be strictly under government control and companies on Public-Private Participation basis would be formed to set up infrastructural facilties, UDF convenor P P Thankachan told reporters after the meeting.
The Health Minister Adoor Prakash had presented a note before the UDF with the proposal for five new medical colleges. But a decision on the college proposed to be set up at Manjeri in Malappuram had been temporarily shelved due to non-availability of land, he said.
The new medical colleges would be in Pathanamthitta, Kasaragod, Idukki and Alappuzha districts.
Both NRI and domestic investors would be wooed to get funds for implementing the project, he said, adding, attempt would be made to start the colleges next year itself.
The UDF also recommended to the government to raise the pension age of all allopathic doctors to 60, considering shortage of physicians across the state. Many vacancies were lying vacant in different places. A decision on raising the retirement age of homoeopathic and allopathic doctors would be considered later.
The Chief Minister, Health Minister and Education Minister had been asked to look into the problems relating to admissions and fee structure in self-financing professional colleges. They would hold talks with managements associations before the end of this month, Thankachan said.
He rejected the Opposition allegation that UDF was trying to postpone the by-election to Piravom assembly constituency, necessitated by the death of KC-J leader TM Jacob.
“We want the polls to be held as early as possible and has asked the government to urge the authorities concerned to hold an early bypoll,” he said.
Thankachan said the proposal to dissolve the director board of the Pariyaram medical college hospital in Kannur, which is facing allegations of irregularities, would be discussed at the next UDF meeting.