Thiruvananthapuram: The assembly witnessed a heated debate on Monday after the opposition brought up an adjournment motion to discuss the spread of communicable diseases in Kerala and health minister K Muraleedharan rejected it while exchanging barbs with CPM MLA P A Mohamed Riyas over the govt’s handling of the department.Moving the notice, Riyas alleged that Kerala’s healthcare model was facing a setback due to administrative failures and lack of coordination within the department. He began by referring to Muraleedharan’s past remark that Nipah would come if incompetent people ruled the state and said outbreaks cannot be attributed to a particular govt. He added that his criticism was not directed at the minister personally.Riyas alleged that the department was prioritizing transfer and posting exercises over public health concerns. He said four districts were functioning without district medical officers and asked why the govt could not post even a single medical officer in Kozhikode. Referring to the recent Nipah case, he alleged that medicines arrived five days after the disease was reported and only after opposition began a protest. He also accused the govt of failing to respond to the increasing threat of communicable diseases.Replying to these allegations, Muraleedharan said UDF govt inherited problems created over the past 15 years. “The biggest issues before this govt are the legacy of 10 years of reels and five years of playing Veena,” he said, in an apparent reference to the previous LDF regime and former health minister Veena George, who faced a lot of flak for not resolving issues in the department.The minister said only one Nipah case had been reported in state recently and added that no Ebola case was confirmed anywhere in India. He said the govt brought Nipah medication from abroad within 24 hours and asserted that there was no reason for public panic.Muraleedharan said the govt had put in place coordinated steps across departments to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. He said the focus was on preventing diseases rather than merely treating patients. Health and food safety departments were carrying out inspections and govt would ensure public participation in disease-prevention efforts, he added.The minister said his department would fill vacancies soon and added that govt had shifted some uncooperative officials who failed to adapt to the change in governance. Stating that govt had taken all precautions, Muraleedharan rejected the demand for an adjournment motion. The opposition walked out in protest.
