KOCHI: Murugan was denied treatment and died in an ambulance in a state where auto driver Naushad set an example by sacrificing his life to save migrant labourers trapped in a manhole. The land Naushad hailed from should not be termed as the land denying treatment to the poor, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday after inaugurating the second phase development of the Thrikkakara Municipal Cooperative Hospital. “The financial status of a person injured in an accident should not be the criterion to offer treatment. Hospitals which fail to offer the lifesaving treatment to those who meet with an accident will have to face stringent action,’’ said Pinarayi.
“All hospitals should have the facility to provide emergency care. The investigation into Murugan’s death is in progress and the government will decide on how private hospital s should function after the inquiry report is ready.’’ The Chief Minister said the government had decided to improve the standards of all government hospitals. ‘’Primary health centres will be transformed as family health centres,’’ he said. According to him, the cooperative sector has a pivotal role to play in the healthcare sector of the state. ‘’The cooperative sector could not contribute much to the healthcare sector in proportion to its growth in Kerala. “All hospitals need not be super speciality hospitals, but they must be patientfriendly.
The issue of high fees charged at private hospitals has been brought to the notice of the government. The government is contemplating fixing the fees for treatments offered at private hospitals,’’ he said. Hospital president Dr M P Sukumaran Nair presided over the function. The keys of rooms sponsored by private parties were handed over by Thrikkakara Municipal chairperson K K Neenu. P T Thomas MLA inaugurated the trauma care casualty facility donated by Petronet LNG and Cochin Shipyard Limited.
A health insurance scheme for sanitation workers in Thrikkakara, Kalamassery and Eloor municipalities was inaugurated by GCDA chairman C N Mohanan. Building construction committee chairman M M Abbas presented the project report. District Collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla, Petronet LNG senior vice president Manoj Pawar, Cochin Shipyard CMD Madhu Nair, Thrikkakara Municipality Health Standing Committee chairperson Shabna Mehar Ali, councillor Ranjni Unni, Hospital Development Committee chairman M E Hassainar, Congress Thrikkakara mandalam committee president P I Mohammadali and hospital director K K Mohanan spoke.