Thiruvananthapuram: At a time when the state health sector, mainly the health infrastructure is facing massive criticism over multiple issues, a controversial remark by Minister Saji Cherian that he had sought treatment at a private clinic after facing issues at a government medical college has come as a major embarrassment for the health ministry and the government. The statement which is seen as a ‘self-goal’ comes at a time when the government was trying to downplay sharp criticism from all quarters in handling the health crisis.
The fisheries minister’s comments comes when he was trying to justify various minister’s seeking treatment at private hospitals and thereby glorify the private health sector in the state.
“Ministers go to private hospitals. Common people go. Others go too. I went to a medical college hospital. There was no issue. Some do go to private hospitals. In 2019, when I had dengue, I first went to a government hospital. When it seemed likely that I might die due to the treatment there, it was recommended that I be shifted to Amrita Hospital. I was taken to Amrita. I was unconscious for 14 days after I reached there. I survived. So, is Amrita Hospital a bad place? These are all well-established practices in this land,” the Minister said.
The statement came while Saji Cherian was defending Health Minister Veena George, at a time when the state’s health care sector is facing intense criticism over absence of equipment’s, surgery machineries, dilapidated hospital buildings and scarcity of doctors and nurses.
Protest across state demanding resignation of health minister
Three days after the collapse of the hospital building in Kottayam that led to the death of a 59-year-old woman, massive protests by opposition parties and their student-youth wing rocked the state where police had to resort to lathi charge and water canons to disperse the angry protesters.