Govt. hospitals turning into killing centres: Venugopal

Launching a scathing attack on the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, MP, has said that government hospitals in the State have turned into “ killing centres” owing to an acute shortage of medicines, surgical equipment, and staff.

Speaking at a dharna organised by the Kannur District Congress Committee here, he alleged that the Health sector was crumbling due to the government’s apathy and financial mismanagement.

“Government hospitals, the lifeline of the common man, are being systematically demolished to benefit the private lobby,” Mr. Venugopal said. He cited the example of Dr. Harris Hasan, who publicly disclosed delays in surgeries at a government medical college hospital because of a shortage of equipment.

“Many other doctors share his view but fear government reprisal,” he said, accusing the Chief Minister of silencing critics. He attributed the crisis to the government’s “financial mismanagement” and said that it owed nearly ₹1,000 crore to pharmaceutical companies and had racked up arrears across schemes like Karunya.

“Is this the so-called Kerala model?” he asked, accusing the Finance Minister of hiding true figures and slashing the Health budget.

Highlighting reports of corruption and malpractice, including the PPE kit scam during COVID-19, Mr. Venugopal said that even life-saving drugs were unavailable. Doctors are forced to ask patients to buy basic tools for treatment, he added.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph echoed Mr. Venugopal’s views, saying that the Health Minister, who blamed the system without fixing it, had no right to stay in office. He said the Health Minister had initially rejected Dr. Hasan’s claims, but later backtracked due to public outrage.

“Doctors are forced to protest even on Doctor’s Day. That’s how bad things have become,” he said, announcing a UDF-appointed Commission to study the crisis and hold a medical conclave.