P G Students Association at the Government Siddha Medical College at Palayamkottai in Thirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu has approached the State Govt with a barrage of complaints fearing that the poor condition of the college will affect its affiliation with Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM). In a memorandum given to the state health secretary and also to the commissioner of Indian medicine, the association of Siddha students complained that the paediatric ward of the hospital is lacking water supply and the patients are reluctant to stay in the wards. According to the students, the situation affects the admission of in-patients to the ward. If there is deficiency in fulfilling the minimum bed occupancy norms, the college may lose its affiliation with the CCIM, said Dr S Revikumar, chairman of the association. The students requested the health secretary to monitor the academic system at the college, because a large number of teaching staff are on deputation always, which will force the authorities to appoint temporary teachers. “The teachers do not have any interest to perform their assigned work”. ” Because of teachers’ apathy, patients are forced to visit other hospitals. The continued absence of clinical pathologist, radiologist and gynaecologist is affecting not only the classes of students but also the poor patients who pay a visit to the hospital occasionally” Dr Revikumar added. After submitting complaints to the government, Dr Revi told Pharmabiz that the PG students at the college did not get adequate clinical exposure and even the animal house at the college was poorly maintained and the necessary fee to be paid for the CPSEA was not made in time. This situation has affected the research facilities of the students and they are unable to carry out pre-clinical studies, the memorandum to the government pointed out. “Though we procure animals at our own cost and also the approved animal feed, the animal house in-charge locks the house without giving us facilities. We are unable to feed the animals at right intervals or monitor the results in time. But the expenses for procurement of certified animal feed is claimed without actually providing feed to the animals,” he added. Other complaint added in the memorandum is that the college administrators are indifferent to the problem due to the lack of a regular Principal. In March this year, the PG students had resorted to strike demanding adequate facilities at the college. During that period the students had complained that 70 per cent of the total requirement of faculty members was lying vacant. The college was hiring retired teachers on contract basis to run the show. According to them, each department should have a faculty strength of minimum nine teachers, but the college had only two or three teachers in each department, they complained earlier.
Source : Pharmabiz