New Delhi, July 28: Union Health Minister JP Nadda assured Kerala of several significant healthcare initiatives on Tuesday. These include theoretical approval for 100 MBBS seats at the K. Karunakaran Memorial Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram starting next academic year, as well as reaffirming the central government’s commitment to establishing an AIIMS in the state.
These assurances were made during a meeting with a delegation led by Kerala’s Health Minister K. Muraleedharan in New Delhi.
According to the Kerala minister, Nadda expressed concern that despite the establishment of infrastructure worth millions of rupees nearly a decade ago, MBBS admissions at K. Karunakaran Memorial Medical College have not yet commenced.
Describing this delay as “criminal negligence,” the Union Minister stated that timely admissions could have benefited approximately 1,100 students seeking medical education.
In addition to medical education, Nadda promised assistance from the central government for several key healthcare initiatives in Kerala. He urged the state to propose the establishment of India’s first genetic institute and pledged support for setting up trauma care centers in every district by strengthening district hospitals.
Nadda also granted in-principle approval for Kerala’s request to increase insurance coverage under the central health insurance scheme and assured support for upgrading three mental health centers in the state.
He committed to providing central assistance for administering the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to girls and mentioned that the center would consider increasing financial support for the National Health Mission (NHM) in light of the current funding shortages reported by Kerala.
The Kerala delegation requested assistance in ensuring the availability of medications for non-communicable diseases, specific cancer treatments, and other medicines that are currently not available in India.
Nadda assured that the matter would be investigated and appropriate actions would be taken.
Recognizing Kerala’s role in strengthening public health surveillance, he also agreed to enhance central assistance for the State Virology Institute.
According to Minister Muraleedharan, Nadda praised Kerala’s healthcare delivery system and described the meeting as cordial, with the Union Minister responding positively to the state’s demands.
With these assurances from the center, particularly in enhancing medical education capacity, strengthening public health infrastructure, and supporting specialized health institutions, Kerala’s healthcare sector is expected to receive a significant boost. This will also aid in advancing the broader national agenda of improving access to healthcare services and medical education.
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