KOCHI: Cardinal Mar George Alenchery, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, on Sunday praised the government’s efforts in handling the Covid pandemic in Kerala. He was speaking at the closing ceremony of a two-day study camp organised by Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) laity commission in Kochi. Alenchery said Health Minister K K Shailaja was an administrator who was able to implement Christian care and comfort in the health sector.
“When faced with a crisis, people get shattered, but what is making Kerala happy is the fact that the chief minister and health minister were able to take on the crisis as a challenge and convert it into an opportunity to excel,” said Alenchery, who is also KCBC chief.
He said the health sector is an important area for development and Shailaja has implemented crisis management policies in the fight against diseases. In a lighter vein, he said he wishes Shailaja ‘teacher’ remains as the health minister no matter which front comes to power.
Shailaja, who was present at the ceremony, said the support and assistance provided by Catholic Church in the state’s fight against the pandemic has been incomparable and that she hopes it will continue in the coming days. Catholic institutions in the health sector have always been model establishments, she added.