Die another day, post-mortems not easy

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Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsDoing post-mortems in the state is becoming a difficult proposition, not because it is a blood-curdling affair but because there are not enough police surgeons to do the job. Kerala may be ahead of the rest in its medical services, but certainly not in the number of forensic surgeons it has.In the last two years, around 15,500 post-mortems were conducted in the state, but in most districts there are no police surgeons to conduct them. According to sources, 80 percent of the post-mortems were conducted in medical colleges.Though it is stipulated that each district must have police surgeons in its district hospital, only two districts - Ernakulam and Palakkad- have police surgeons. At present more than 30 posts are lying vacant in the state.But Health Minster V S Shivakumar is not aware of the situation. “The matter has not come to my notice. Surely we will study this and take necessary steps,” he said.P K Jameela, Director of Medical Service, said that police surgeons are a rare breed and that none in medical services opts for the forensic surgeon’s post. “Forensic surgeons prefer private hospitals where they wouldn’t have to do post-mortems. So people have to depend on medical colleges,” Dr Jameela said.The condition in hilly districts like Wayanad, Kasargod and Idukki is pathetic as people have to go to the medical colleges in other districts for post-mortems. From Idukki, one has to travel for four hours to reach Kottayam Medical College. From Wayanad and Kasargod, people have to go to Kozhikode Medical College. And the number of police surgeons in medical colleges is dwindling.Ernakulam District Hospital Superintendent, Junaid Rehman said that the hospital got the service of the police surgeons just a few months back. “It was a tough time for us as we didn’t have any police surgeons here. All the cases in the district had to be referred to Alappuzha Medical College. If the police surgeon takes leave for even a day, we could not conduct the post -mortem. It was only after frequent requests that we got a police surgeon,” Junaid Rehman said.Medical department officials said even after notifications were given to fill the post of police surgeon, no one was ready to take up the job. “The job is tougher than other medical services. Many of the doctors quit as they have to work every day and cannot take leave. The salary is also not attractive compared to private hospitals,” officials said.first published:January 01, 1970, 05:30 ISTlast updated:January 01, 1970, 05:30 IST
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Doing post-mortems in the state is becoming a difficult proposition, not because it is a blood-curdling affair but because there are not enough police surgeons to do the job. Kerala may be ahead of the rest in its medical services, but certainly not in the number of forensic surgeons it has.

In the last two years, around 15,500 post-mortems were conducted in the state, but in most districts there are no police surgeons to conduct them. According to sources, 80 percent of the post-mortems were conducted in medical colleges.

Though it is stipulated that each district must have police surgeons in its district hospital, only two districts - Ernakulam and Palakkad- have police surgeons. At present more than 30 posts are lying vacant in the state.

But Health Minster V S Shivakumar is not aware of the situation. “The matter has not come to my notice. Surely we will study this and take necessary steps,” he said.

P K Jameela, Director of Medical Service, said that police surgeons are a rare breed and that none in medical services opts for the forensic surgeon’s post. “Forensic surgeons prefer private hospitals where they wouldn’t have to do post-mortems. So people have to depend on medical colleges,” Dr Jameela said.

The condition in hilly districts like Wayanad, Kasargod and Idukki is pathetic as people have to go to the medical colleges in other districts for post-mortems. From Idukki, one has to travel for four hours to reach Kottayam Medical College. From Wayanad and Kasargod, people have to go to Kozhikode Medical College. And the number of police surgeons in medical colleges is dwindling.

Ernakulam District Hospital Superintendent, Junaid Rehman said that the hospital got the service of the police surgeons just a few months back. “It was a tough time for us as we didn’t have any police surgeons here. All the cases in the district had to be referred to Alappuzha Medical College. If the police surgeon takes leave for even a day, we could not conduct the post -mortem. It was only after frequent requests that we got a police surgeon,” Junaid Rehman said.

Medical department officials said even after notifications were given to fill the post of police surgeon, no one was ready to take up the job. “The job is tougher than other medical services. Many of the doctors quit as they have to work every day and cannot take leave. The salary is also not attractive compared to private hospitals,” officials said.