The initiative, outlined in a recent directive from the Director of Health Education, aims to ensure timely autopsies, potentially reducing delays and improving overall service availability.

Post-mortems provide useful information about how, when and why someone died. They enable pathologists to obtain a better understanding of how diseases spread. Learning more about illnesses and medical conditions benefits patients too, because it means they'll receive more effective treatment in the future, reports Mathrubhumi.

The directive instructs the principals of government medical colleges to commence night-time post-mortems utilizing their current facilities. The medical colleges have been asked to provide updates on the steps they are taking toward implementation, including the staffing needs that would be required for the successful rollout.

However, one significant obstacle stands in the way of this plan- a shortage of forensic surgeons. Currently, the state faces a deficit of 16 surgeons, making it challenging to launch the night-time post-mortem service as envisioned. Addressing this shortage will be crucial for successfully executing the new schedule and ensuring that the night-time services are fully operational. The government is expected to take steps to fill these vacancies to ensure the availability of surgeons for the night shifts, reports the Daily.

Kerala government has been adopting new techniques to enhance the health service sector. Taking action against absentee assistant professors and lecturers from various medical and pharmacy college hospitals, the Kerala health department has issued show-cause notices to 56 doctors for being on unauthorized absence for a period of 1- 7 years including one with the longest period of absence on the list- 15 years.

The department directed all the 56 professors on the list to appear and report for duty before the Additional Chief Secretary (Health) at the secretariat within 15 days. Failure to comply will lead to termination without further notice as per relevant provisions of the Constitution of India, Kerala civil services rules and Kerala service rules.