Thiruvananthapuram: District Medical Officers (DMOs) have told the government that hospitals across Kerala have adequate stocks of medicines, while shortages are currently being reported at the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) warehouses.

The clarification came at a meeting convened by Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Tuesday to review measures to strengthen infectious disease prevention and the availability of medicines in the state.

The minister directed KMSCL to ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines and surgical supplies, including cotton, at hospitals. He also instructed the corporation to convene an emergency board meeting and complete the necessary purchase orders without delay to speed up medicine supplies.

DMOs informed the minister that although there were concerns over medicine availability, stocks were available at hospitals in the districts. The minister directed officials to assess the situation at hospitals at the grassroots level and ensure that medicines required at the lower levels of the health system are available.

He also asked officials to explore the possibility of procuring medicines urgently in coordination with medical corporations in states such as Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, if necessary.

The minister further directed health officials to intensify field-level measures to prevent infectious diseases. Door-to-door interventions should be strengthened, with sanitation measures, including chlorination, carried out directly at households, he said.

Health inspectors should lead intensified preventive activities by conducting direct visits to houses in disease hotspots. There should be no complaints that health workers are not reaching households, Muraleedharan said.

The minister also asked medical officers in each district to assess the condition of mortuaries, sealing systems, lifts and ventilators and submit reports.

The meeting was attended by the Health Department Principal Secretary, NHM Kerala Mission Director, Health Department Director, Director of Medical Education, Director in charge of ISM, Director of Homoeopathy, district medical officers, district programme managers and KMSCL officials.