Keralam Health Minister K. Muraleedharan denies medicine shortage in govt hospitals

Keralam Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has flatly denied that the state's government hospitals are running out of medicines, claiming the reported shortage is an invention of pharmaceutical companies and television media.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Muraleedharan dismissed the reports as a "media creation" and insisted that hospital shelves remain well-stocked.

"There is no crisis at all. There is sufficient stock of medicines. If needed, you can ask the Superintendent or anyone whether there is medicine stock or not," he said.

The row over drug supplies

Mr Muraleedharan pointed the finger directly at drug manufacturers, suggesting they were orchestrating a pressure campaign against the state government. He accused TV channels of hyping up the claims to manufacture a sense of panic.

"Some pharmaceutical company representatives have come out with sticks and swords," he said. "And to highlight that, some big and small TV media people have also stepped out."

The minister struck a defiant tone, adding that he would not back down under pressure from the industry. "There is adequate stock of medicine. Furthermore, if any pharma company people come out brandishing sticks and swords, I am not someone who gets scared seeing that. That is all."

Beyond the drug dispute, the minister sought to reassure the public on broader healthcare issues. He stated that cases of infectious diseases in Keralam are currently lower than the numbers recorded during the same period last year. Addressing recent concerns over public healthcare standards, he noted that the Health Department has not received any formal complaints of medical negligence, but promised that any direct complaints would be thoroughly investigated.

Sparring over the Kerala AIIMS

The press conference also saw Mr Muraleedharan push back against accusations of state-level foot-dragging over the proposed All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for Kerala.

Union Minister Suresh Gopi had previously accused the state government of failing to cooperate with New Delhi on the project. Mr Muraleedharan rejected this, claiming the Union Minister was "unaware of the facts". He confirmed that the state's Health Principal Secretary has already submitted a formal report on the matter to the central government.

"If he asks for it, I can show him a copy," the minister said. "Then why unnecessarily blame the state government?"

Mr Muraleedharan suggested the dispute was down to local lobbying, claiming that Mr Gopi was keen to see the AIIMS established in one specific, unnamed location. By contrast, he said the state government was neutral on the site. "We don't have any such preferences. Our only demand is that Kerala should get an AIIMS."

Preparing for Sabarimala

Mr Muraleedharan, who also holds the Devaswom portfolio, provided an update on preparations for the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage season, which is scheduled to begin on 17 November.

To ensure the massive annual pilgrimage runs smoothly, Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan will chair a high-level review meeting at Pampa on 17 October. The minister said the state government is offering its full administrative and financial backing to the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the temple, to ensure the season passes without incident.