Kerala Opposition Walks Out Over Health Sector Crisis Allegations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition LDF staged a walkout from the assembly on Tuesday, alleging that the state’s health sector was in crisis under the four-month-long UDF government’s rule. Seeking to raise the issue through an adjournment motion, the LDF members cited shortage of medicines, deaths allegedly caused by medical negligence, and the arbitrary dismissal of health staff as evidence. CPM MLA K V Sumesh, who gave notice for the adjournment motion, said the health sector was “on a ventilator” and accused Health Minister K Muraleedharan of adopting a “dismissive attitude” towards the issue. He also alleged that even medicines for lifestyle diseases were unavailable in government hospitals. Muraleedharan launched a sharp counterattack, asserting that hospitals had adequate medicine stocks, except for the medicine needed to cure the uneasiness of the LDF, which had lost power. The remark triggered brief protests from the Opposition benches. The minister attributed the shortage to the failure of the previous LDF government to undertake the procurement usually carried out in March, citing the Model Code of Conduct in force for the elections. Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan led the LDF walkout after the adjournment motion was disallowed.