Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Doctors’ vacancies to be filled soon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vacancies of doctors in government hospitals would be filled within four months, said Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy in the Assembly on Friday.

Replying to questions, Ms. Sreemathy said there were 48 vacancies under the Ayurveda Medical Education Director, 64 under the Director of Indian Systems of Medicine, 61 in homoeopathy, 382 under the Director of Health Services and 518 under the Director of Medical Education. There were 382 vacancies of full-time doctors in Public Health Centres and government dispensaries. The Minister said disciplinary action was taken for unauthorised absence against one doctor in Indian Systems of Medicine, 2 homoeo doctors, 124 doctors under the Director of Health Services and 121 under the Director of Medical Education.

She said standardisation of hospitals had been planned on the basis of bed-strength. The government had received complaints about the functioning of hospital maintenance committees. House keeping sections will be formed in taluk hospitals.

The Minister said preliminary steps were being taken to set up nursing colleges in Ernakulam, Palakkad and Kozhikode. Nine specialty courses in nursing will be introduced.

Ms. Sreemathy said there was no proposal to amend the law to permit post-mortem examination in private medical colleges. Advertisements of cough syrups and painkillers can be regulated only by the Centre. Steps had been taken to improve radiation therapy facilities at the Regional Cancer Centre here. While there were 24,000 HIV-infected persons in the State, 2,672 persons were undergoing anti-retro virus treatment till May last, the Minister said.

Minister for Law and Ports M. Vijayakumar said work on the Vizhinjam port would begin after securing the clearance of the Union Shipping and Transport, Home, and Foreign Affairs ministries. The first phase is expected to be completed within three years of signing of the pact. The project would provide direct employment to 3,000 persons and its allied sectors would generate one lakh jobs, the Minister said.

He said all facilities, including Customs clearance and plant protection quarantine, had been made to develop Kollam as a major port. Talks were under way to attract shipping agents to the port, he said.

Mr. Vijayakumar said the Centre was yet to clarify its stance on setting up a Bench of the High Court in the capital. The Cabinet on June18 had urged the Centre to advise the President to set up the Bench. Further action should be taken by the Centre, he said.

Industries Minister Elamaram Karim said the government was trying to enter into a long-term agreement with Kuwait Petroleum Company to supply sulphur at affordable cost to Travancore Titanium Products and FACT. Kinfra has signed 18 MoUs, which is expected to draw an investment of Rs. 863.33 crore, and KSIDC 64 MoUs, to bring in investment of Rs.3,947.50 crore. Work on these units was progressing.

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