Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday (Sept 2) left for the US for medical treatment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He will back in the state after three weeks.
During his absence, industries minister E P Jayarajan would receive donations towards the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF).
The CM had Saturday called on governor justice (retd) P Sathasivam and briefed him about his trip abroad for treatment. The chief minister had also updated the governor about the steps initiated by the government for rebuilding Kerala and for rehabilitation of the flood-affected people.
The CM was to leave for the US on August 19 for a 17-day 'medical check-up'. However, the unprecedented rain and floods in the state forced the CM to postpone the trip.
Minister A K Balan was the 'caretaker' chief minister when Pinarayi was in the US for a 13-day tour in July. Incidently, Balan is likely to lead a four-member delegation to Australia from September 17 to 28.
The Mayo Clinic was ranked number one in the US by the US News and World Report in 2016-17. Further, it was ranked first in eight speciality areas including diabetes, neurology and urology. It was ranked second in cardiology and third in cancer.
In 2015, former defence minister AK Antony had visited Mayo Clinic for a check-up. In 2016, the then Kerala Assembly Speaker G Karthikeyan had visited the hospital for treatment of liver cancer. He was accompanied by Ramesh Chennithala, the then home minister.
