Sat Jan 04 04:51:47 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Doctors Threaten Boycott of School Arts Festival Over Colleague’s Suspension
**Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala –** The 63rd Kerala State School Arts Festival, which began Saturday in Thiruvananthapuram, is facing a potential medical crisis. The Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) has threatened a boycott of emergency medical services at the festival’s 25 venues, protesting the alleged unfair suspension of a colleague.
The five-day festival is expected to draw 10,000 students, parents, and teachers. The government had established emergency medical centers at each venue, staffed by doctors, nurses, and paramedics. However, the KGMOA claims the suspension of a doctor from the Aryanad Community Health Centre, based on an allegedly unsubstantiated media report of private practice, is unjust. They assert the doctor was penalized without a proper inquiry or hearing.
The KGMOA’s action follows public criticism of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) for lacking on-site medical support during a recent Guinness World Records event where a legislator suffered a serious fall.
While the Director of Health Services, K.J. Reena, stated she hasn’t received official notification of the boycott and that medical arrangements remain in place, the threat casts a shadow over the large-scale event. Inspections are planned to ensure adequate medical facilities are available. The situation remains tense as the festival unfolds.
First Piper 