Kerala govt to set up medical college in every district: CM Oomen Chandy
Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (EP)
Kasargod, Dec 1: Kerala chief minister Oomen Chandy has said that his government intends to start medical colleges in all the districts of the state.
The chief minister was speaking after laying the foundation stone for a medical college in Ukkinadka on Saturday November 30.
"The government is sincerely trying to construct at least one medical college per district in the state to ensure that everybody gets free medicine. The state is facing hardship in health sector and the government has decided to construct eight medical colleges, including this one," he said.
He said that only five medical colleges could be constructed during the 64 years period between the years 1947 to 2013. A medical college was constructed in Trissur in 1984.
Construction on eight medical colleges were started during the last two and a half years, he said, expressing confidence that the construction of the Kasargod medical college would be completed soon.
State health minister V S Shivakumar presided over the programme. District incharge minister K P Mohanan, MLAs N A Nellikunnu, P B Abdul Razak, former minster Cherkala Abdulla, C T Ahmed Ali, C K Sridharan, M C Kamaruddin, Block panchayat president Mumtaz Shukoor, district commissioner P S Mohammed Sageer, K Ahmed Shareef, C H Mohammed Kunhi Chayindadi and others were present.
N A Nellikunnu welcomed. Special officer P G R Pillai read the report.
The chief minister presented Maitri award to Sayiram Gopalakrishna Bhat on the occasion.
Chandy inaugurates first government dialysis unit in Kasargod
Chief minister Oomen Chandy inaugurated the first dialysis unit in Kasargod general hospital on Saturday morning November 30.
Health minister V S Shivakumar presided over the programme. K P Mohanan, district in charge minister and state agricultural minister inaugurated a physiotherapy unit in the endosulfan-affected area.
District medical officer Dr P Gopinathan read the report. MLA N A Nellikunnu, P B Abdul Razak, block panchayat president Mumtaz Shukoor and others were present.
DC P S Mohammed Sageer presided over the programme. Deputy collector P K Sudheer Babu thanked the gathering.
The dialysis unit will function under endosulfan rehabilitation project. It will provide free service to the affected patients.
Left Front blocks traffic demanding resignation of CM
Meanwhile, activists of Left Front blocked traffic at Ukkinadka demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister for his alleged involvement in solar scam.
The protest was held when the chief minister was about to reach there to lay foundation stone for the medical college. The police stopped the protestors a little away from the spot.
Tight police security was arranged in view of the protests. CPM district secretary K P Satishchandran, MLA E Chandrashekharan, K Kunhiraman, P Raghavan, C H Kunhambu, Harish Nambiar and Anantan Nambiar led the protest.
Police have registered a case against the Left Front and the BJP for taking out a rally and blocking traffic and assembling in groups without permission.
The complaint was registered against 750 people including CPM district secretary K P Satishandran, MLAs K Kunhiraman Uduma, K Kunhiraman Trikaripura, E Chandrashekaran and another 100 people including BJP leaders Madikai Kammaran, K Suresh Kumar Shetty and others.