Thiruvananthapuram, 27 August (HS ):The Kerala Health Department has finalised a comprehensive plan to redeploy doctors across government hospitals to ensure round-the-clock specialist services, despite objections raised by the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association.

The initiative aims to provide uninterrupted treatment in six major speciality departments at key government hospitals without creating additional posts. Existing medical personnel will be reorganised and deployed according to patient demand, workload and the requirements of individual hospitals.

The programme will initially be implemented at the Punalur Taluk Hospital in Kollam district, where an additional 15 specialist doctors will be required to provide services throughout the day. As part of the arrangement, 74 doctors currently serving at primary health centres and community health centres in Kollam will be redeployed.

Nurses and other healthcare workers will also be transferred or reassigned based on operational requirements. The department may seek the assistance of doctors and other medical personnel from the Government Medical College at Parippally if additional support is needed.

Based on the results of the pilot initiative in Punalur, the redeployment model will subsequently be extended to major government hospitals across all districts in the State.

Although the government will not create new posts for the project, assistant surgeons holding postgraduate medical qualifications will be temporarily appointed as junior consultants. The government is also expected to redesignate these positions at a later stage.

Doctors moved from primary and community health centres will be replaced to prevent disruptions to essential medical services in rural areas. Replacements will be identified from hospitals with comparatively lighter workloads and among newly recruited assistant surgeons with postgraduate qualifications.

Health officials said the restructuring would enable the government to make better use of its existing workforce while improving access to specialist treatment. The department expects the initiative to reduce delays in treatment, strengthen emergency care and provide patients with dependable specialist services at government hospitals throughout the day and night.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman