The south Indian state Kerala is showing the world, the best approach to tackle the deadly covid 19 pandemic- #TheKeralaModel. The credits must be entitled to the Health workers, volunteers, Ministry of health, health department, Chief Minister and the entire political leadership which includes the opposition. Compared to most of the world nations and our union govt, Kerala Government has worked extraordinarily to combat with this pandemic.
But it is impossible to pretend that we have not seen any false thoughts propagated by some groups intentionally just for the sake of creating smoke in the eyes of people. Some groups have wrongly attributed the historic progress of the health and the educational sector of Kerala, achieved over the past-long years to be the success of communism.
It’s high time to think about whether the Kerala model(KM) is a communist model. Can the success of the Kerala model be attributed to communist policies alone. KM is a modernity model, where renaissance, religion, progressivenes, science, art, communism all played efficient roles.
It is very frustrating to forget what the MPs of Kerala have contributed in this particular scenario. The timely relevant action Taken by our MPs including Shashi Tharoor, Rahul Gandhi, Hibi Eden, T.N. Prathapan, Srikandan are admirable. Shashi Tharoor is the Captain of Kerala Model in rapid test. The actions taken by them for the establishment of Corona care centre, as a part of the preventive measures, procurement of adequate medical supplies for health workers, and the effective utilization of their local development fund in a timely way is appreciable. The socio religious cultural political organizations that have rendered meritorious services through events such as community kitchen and the vital role by youth should not be forgotten in this occasion.
As said, “Rome was not built in a day’. If we resist corona today, it is the foresight of a group of rulers. The advancement of kerala on the enlightened educational and public health arena long precedes the Pinarayi era, starting from the period of erstwhile princely states. Prior to the birth of kerala, kerala was one of the best places for public health in India, even when the country was at its worst. This is due to prolonged public health activities, government involvement including the royal government, health care facilities and literacy from the lower level of society.
Kerala has a long history of organised health care. In the 19th century, the princely rulers of erstwhile states of Travancore and Cochin took the initiative in making the western system of care available to their subjects. A royal proclamation of 1879 made vaccination compulsory and the Parasite survey undertook in 1928 with Rockfelle foundation seems to be extra ordinary. The general hospitals in Trivandrum and Cochin are about 150 years old. A health unit incorporating many of the concepts of primary health care was also started in rural area. Under the rule of princely state in 1935, the then rulers, aware of the importance of public health, sent a malayali doctor to practice at the John Hopkins university, he came back and established a PHC in Neyyattinkara(TVM), the forerunner of all PHC s in India. Sri Vishakam Thirunal and Moolam Thirunal Maharajas introduced further advancement in allopathic practices in the state by allowing grant -in-aid to private medical institutions also. In 1896 a hospital for women and children was opened and placed under the charge of a lady doctor from England. The first medical college in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram medical college was also established by them in 1951.
Investment in education and health infrastructure has been a consistent policy of all elected governments in Kerala, whatever the political leaning is. The traditional government support for health care has been a catalyst for the advancement of health care in the state. Allopathic facilities of the public sectors are systematically organised in rural areas. Where 74 percentage of the population resides, so that each facility with different functional capacities can meet the needs of the people. It range from CHC to PHC -it contributed less of an urban rural disparity. We have 14 medical college’s of which 11 were set up congress led govt and 2 by communist led govt and 1 by travancore govt. This means kerala is leading in the field of health care since ages.
It is very evident to talk about the golden era of administration of kerala government- the period between 2011-16, Ommen chandy led congress govt. This govt has elevated the health sector of kerala from 5 to 11 medical collges. Under the Karunya scheme Rs.1200crore has been provided to 1.42 lakh people. Taluk hospitals have been upgraded to district hospitals, the establishment of Karunya pharmacies for medicines on discount. Sukrutham has launched for free cancer treatment and so on are the works/projects done in the health sector during 2011-16.
Don’t you guys think that we can overcome this devastating situations without these medical colleges, free treatment, MPLADs, treatment insurance, education and progress? I hope the media won’t do injustice to many liberal, centrists, Gandhiyans, Nehruvians, royal families whose contributions are also indomitable.
