LDF marches to Kozhikode medical college over exclusion from hospital body
The LDF Kozhikode district committee protested the exclusion of political party representatives from the Government Medical College's hospital development society.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) Kozhikode district committee took out a march to the Government Medical College on Tuesday, September 22, protesting a decision to keep political party representatives out of the hospital development society (HDS).
Addressing the protesters at the start of the march, Communist Party of India (Marxist) district secretary M. Mehboob said the move was aimed at reducing the HDS to a sub-committee of the United Democratic Front. He alleged that the body's existing democratic structure was being dismantled.
Mr. Mehboob said the change was being pushed through at a time when patients were already struggling with shortages of medicines and doctors, and with special schemes meant for poor families. He claimed the burden of treatment costs was being shifted onto patients, and alleged that people close to the ruling party were seeking kickbacks through temporary appointments in the hospital controlled by the HDS.
Communist Party of India district secretary P. Gavas, LDF convener Mukkom Mohammed and other front leaders took part in the protest.