Amid controversy over Kerala's healthcare, CM Vijayan leaves for treatment in US

Thiruvananthapuram, July 4 (IANS) At a time when the Kerala healthcare sector is being projected as one of the leading states in the country by the ruling Left government, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is scheduled to leave for the US as part of his medical treatment and follow-up.

He will be on a week-long trip, flying first to Dubai and then to the US.

But his departure comes at a time when the heat is on the state Health Minister, Veena George, with the Congress and the BJP demanding her immediate resignation after her "failure" in multiple events that took place in the past few days.

Incidentally, social media is flush with activity after CM Vijayan slammed Urologist Dr Harris Chirackal, who exposed the serious shortage of equipment and medical supplies in the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College and Hospital. The CM said that he had portrayed "an excellent system of healthcare in poor light". He defended the state’s health sector as one of the most advanced and responsive in the country, and also cited consistent national and international recognition.

No sooner did CM Vijayan accuse Chirackal of a "heedless and baseless post" than questions were asked: if Kerala boasts of the best healthcare system, then why was he flying out for medical treatment to the US?

Popular public health activist and former WHO Consultant Dr S.S. Lal said, "When there is a narrative of Kerala being the best, then it’s only natural that questions like why CM Vijayan is flying out of the country for medical needs, will be asked. We now know that former Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan, for the past several days, is admitted to a leading private hospital and not to a state-run hospital,” said Lal, who was the Congress candidate at the 2021 Assembly polls from the capital district constituency at Kazhakootam.

Many years ago, when Achuthanandan went for treatment abroad and Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar visited him at his hospital bed there, that picture was used by the Congress-led UDF during the then Assembly elections, labelling it as "the double standards adopted by the CPI(M)".

--IANS

sg/dpb