Thiruvananthapuram: Keralam Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Monday said an expert team of the department would investigate alleged irregularities in the construction of isolation wards in 88 constituencies in the state after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Muraleedharan said the wards, built at a cost of around Rs 1.8 crore each, were of little use to the public as they lacked basic facilities.
He was replying to a submission in the state assembly by Congress MLA V P Sajeendran, who represents Kunnathunad, alleging that the isolation wards were sanctioned by former state Health Minister Veena George and describing the project as a “loot”.
Sajeendran demanded that a Special Investigation Team be constituted to probe the alleged irregularities and that the two agencies involved in setting up the wards be blacklisted.
“The officials responsible should be punished, and it should be investigated whether George had any role in the matter,” he contended.
The minister said the government had decided to set up modern isolation wards in 88 constituencies at a sanctioned cost of Rs 250 crore. The project was intended to help the state deal with future outbreaks of communicable and infectious diseases.
He said a Thrissur-based agency was awarded the contract to construct the wards at a cost of around Rs 1.38 crore each, while the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) was tasked with procuring equipment at approximately Rs 44 lakh per ward.
“Of the 88 wards, work on only 55 was completed. They were also inaugurated in phases. As of October 2026, 33 of the 55 wards had been handed over to hospitals, while the remaining 22 had been made operational with the assistance of Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Consulting Private Limited (KIIFCON),” the minister said.
Muraleedharan further said none of the 55 completed wards could be used to accommodate or treat patients.
“Additionally, the buildings themselves have several problems. The wards lack air-conditioning and toilet facilities, civil works remain incomplete, and fans cannot be installed on the ceilings,” he claimed.
With around Rs 1.83 crore spent on each ward, none of the completed facilities was fit for accommodating patients. An expert team headed by the Principal Secretary, Health, has therefore been constituted to investigate the matter, Muraleedharan said.
