Kerala CM And Doctors Fight Over COVID-19 Response

The professional body of doctors had slammed the government for disciplinary action initiated against health workers at the forefront of the COVID-19 combat.

- Ashraf Padanna

Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has attacked the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for its criticism against his pandemic management amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The professional body of doctors had slammed the government for disciplinary action initiated against health workers at the forefront of the COVID-19 combat.

Last week, the authorities suspended the COVID-19 nodal officer and two head nurses at the Government Medical College Hospital here after a patient infested with maggots.

Following this, the IMA issued a statement titled “health department gets maggot-infested” listing shortcomings and lack of facilities at the public hospitals.

They feel the state has lost control over the pandemic containment with wrong priorities and policy missteps.

“Only those whose mind has got infested with maggots can make such a statement,” an angry chief minister retorted.

“There was nothing that should provoke such a broadside against the (public) health sector.”

He said the state took measures to contain the pandemic as per the advice of health experts and not “those who think they are experts.”