Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Sunday announced that the state government will take urgent steps to increase the number of doctors in government hospitals and medical colleges to address the ongoing crisis in the public healthcare sector. The statement comes amid intensified protests by the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA).

Over the past several months, doctors attached to government medical colleges have staged protests, hunger strikes, and indefinite outpatient (OP) boycotts demanding the clearance of pending pay revision arrears from 2016, correction of salary anomalies in the entry cadre, and creation of new posts to manage the growing patient load.

The Health Minister said the government plans to expand healthcare infrastructure across the state. A new government medical college will be established in Haripad and Thiruvananthapuram. Existing Medical College Hospitals (MCHs) in other districts will also be upgraded with improved equipment and additional resources to strengthen patient care and management.

Addressing concerns over Ebola, Muraleedharan clarified that no Ebola cases have been reported anywhere in India. However, he urged people to remain cautious and alert. He said the disease initially presents with mild symptoms such as fever and cough during the first two days, but severe symptoms can develop by the fourth day and may lead to death by the twelfth day if left untreated.

The minister said screening systems have been installed at major ports and airports to identify international travellers showing symptoms including persistent cough, high fever, and diarrhoea. Similar surveillance arrangements will be introduced at railway stations, Muraleedharan said. Any suspected case will be immediately reported to the District Medical Officer (DMO), while isolation wards have already been set up at MCHs, he said. 

Following a meeting held on Saturday, the Health Department also finalised measures to prevent the annual outbreak of monsoon-related diseases. Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Family Health Centres (FHCs), General Hospitals, and Medical College Hospitals are being stocked with essential medicines and diagnostic equipment.

Muraleedharan said unhygienic surroundings remain the main reason for seasonal disease outbreaks. The Health Department will soon hold a joint meeting with the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) to launch a coordinated statewide sanitation and cleanliness campaign.

Muraleedharan’s statement comes after a controversial period for Kerala’s Health Department under former minister Veena George, whose tenure faced strong criticism over several allegations of medical negligence, including the discovery of surgical forceps left inside a patient’s abdomen at Alappuzha MCH. Her administration also came under pressure over shortages of medicines and equipment in government hospitals, inadequate safety measures for healthcare workers, and the handling of doctors’ grievances.