His remarks followed a viral Facebook post by Dr. Harris Chirakkal, Head of Urology, who highlighted life-threatening surgical delays at the hospital due to a shortage of essential medical equipment
Published Jun 29, 2025 | 7:24 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 29, 2025 | 7:24 PM
Opposition Leader VD Satheesan (Facebook)
Synopsis: Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan criticised the Kerala government over the worsening public healthcare system, citing a viral Facebook post by Dr. Harris Chirakkal about critical surgical equipment shortages at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. Satheesan accused the government of ignoring repeated warnings, stating the system is “on ventilator support” and highlighted life-threatening delays in surgeries due to the crisis
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan launched a sharp attack on the Kerala government on Sunday over the deteriorating state of public healthcare, following serious allegations raised by a senior doctor at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital.
Speaking at Paravur, Satheesan said Kerala’s healthcare system was “on ventilator support” and accused the government of ignoring persistent warnings about widespread shortages of surgical equipment and medicines.
His remarks came in the wake of a viral Facebook post by Dr. Harris Chirakkal, Head of the Urology Department at the hospital, who had flagged life-threatening delays in surgeries due to lack of basic surgical tools.
“This is not a sudden collapse. I had raised these concerns in the Assembly in January 2024 and again in March this year,” Satheesan said. “Back then, Health Minister Veena George brushed aside the issue. Today, the consequences are playing out in our hospitals.”
Dr. Harris’s now-deleted post had sparked widespread concern earlier this week after he emotionally described his helplessness in treating poor patients in urgent need of surgery. He said he had even considered resignation, and accused the administration of failing to ensure basic medical infrastructure.
Though he withdrew the post after receiving assurances from the minister’s office, Dr. Harris later reiterated to the media that no surgeries had been performed that day and the problem was real and ongoing.
Responding to the controversy, Minister Veena George on Sunday acknowledged Dr. Harris’s “honest concerns” and ordered an inquiry into the matter. “We are taking all the points raised seriously. The problem lies in the system, which urgently needs correction,” she said, while refraining from directly commenting on the department’s prior awareness of the issue.
However, the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) contradicted the doctor’s claims, calling them “false” and warning of possible action against him. DME Dr. Viswanathan insisted that multiple surgeries had taken place, and accused Dr. Harris of being unreachable and attempting to discredit the system.
Satheesan, meanwhile, accused the government of a deeper failure. “Repeated promises to seek reports have only filled files, not solved problems,” he said.
He also alleged poor implementation of flagship schemes like Karunya, Hrudyam, and the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, and criticised the government’s decision to slash ₹300 crore from the health sector’s plan fund even as dues to suppliers remain unpaid.
“The government seems more focused on managing the narrative than fixing the crisis,” he said.
The controversy has once again drawn attention to longstanding structural issues in Kerala’s public healthcare system—frequently hailed as a model—raising urgent questions about its ability to provide timely and quality care to those most in need
(Edited by Ananya Rao with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman)
