Kerala: Attempts being made to close down ESI Medical College hospital alleged

If the state government finds it difficult to operate the ESI Medical College Hospital, Paripally,then it should transfer its functional reins to the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) said Mr. N K Premachandran, MP, at a press conference here. The hospital had been handed over to the government last year by the ESIC, with all the required essential facilities for healthcare.

Closure of the hospital, the Member of Parliament said was tantamount to destroying public property. The hospital should be used for the benefit of ESI beneficiaries and people at large, he further added. He said the LDF government’s intention behind keeping the hospital closed was to help private medical colleges.

“Faculty members without stipulated qualifications were deliberately appointed to torpedo the Medical Council of India (MCI) recognition for the hospital,” he alleged.

He revealed that as against the six shortcomings observed in the hospital last year, that kept it away from an MCI recognition, the number had risen to 27 of late. This he alleged confirmed the doubt that a triumvirate comprising of Director, Medical Education, the Superintendent Medical College and a section of the private medical college managements were hand-in-glove to destroy the institution. The Minister said some departments at the hospital, at the time of Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan’s inauguration on August 14, 2016 that were functional have since been shut down.

Mr. Ramchandran said though evidence had been given to the Chief Minister and the Health Minister about efforts being made to delay the MCI recognition of the hospital, no action had been taken reports The Hindu.