Political, Capitalist Interests Behind Attacks on Kerala' Health Care System: M Swaraj

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI(M) State Secretariat member M Swaraj accused a section of the media of tarnishing Kerala’s world-class health sector in the name of political bias and capitalist interests. Speaking at the International Congress on Kerala Studies organized under the auspices of the AKG Study and Research Center, Swaraj said that when political and capitalist interests align, the public receives misleading impressions rather than accurate news.

Swaraj criticized visual media and some press outlets for amplifying negative news about the state's health sector, creating a perception that government hospitals are unsafe. He highlighted Kerala’s achievements, noting that the state has surpassed the United States in infant mortality rates, despite being a small state in India that ranked 102nd in the World Hunger Index. He also cited landmark medical accomplishments, including India’s first heart transplant performed at a district hospital and a first-of-its-kind procedure at a medical college where a heart, lung, and kidney were transplanted on the same day.

From 2021 to the present, he said, 24.5 lakh patients have received treatment at government hospitals, with the state government spending Rs 7,702 crore—the highest ever—for their care. While acknowledging incidents of medical negligence, such as surgical instruments getting left behind inside body, Swaraj stressed that isolated cases should not overshadow the overall achievements of Kerala’s healthcare system.

“Private hospitals are being acquired by big corporates, and there are capitalist interests behind the disparagement of government hospitals,” Swaraj said. “When political and capitalist interests come together, people do not get news—they get distorted impressions, ” he added.