THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s journey to the United States for medical treatment has once again brought into focus a long-standing practice among top political leaders — seeking advanced healthcare abroad.
While the move sparked political criticism over the state of Kerala’s public healthcare system, it also aligns with a historical pattern of chief ministers, cutting across party lines, turning to foreign countries for treatment.
Rare exceptions included CPM’s E K Nayanar and CPI’s P K Vasudevan Nair, who are perhaps among the few state CMs who never travelled abroad for medical treatment.
The practice dates back to the pre-1990 era, when Left leaders, particularly from the CPI and CPM, preferred the erstwhile Soviet Union for higher medical care. Two of Kerala’s most iconic communist chief ministers — EMS Namboodiripad travelled to Germany and C. Achutha Menon to the USSR for treatment during their time in office. Back then, the country was seen as a trusted destination, both ideologically and diplomatically, especially by Left leaders.
However, the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s brought a shift in preferences. The US emerged as the new destination of choice, not only due to its advanced medical infrastructure but also because of the presence of a large number of Keralite doctors in its hospitals.
Among the first to make this transition was Congress leader and former Chief Minister K Karunakaran. After surviving a car accident in the 1990s, Karunakaran was flown to the US for specialised treatment.
In 2000, CPM veteran V S Achuthanandan, who later became the CM in 2006, found himself at the centre of a political storm when he flew to London for medical care. His trip became a key talking point during the UDF’s campaign for the 2001 assembly election.
The Congress-led UDF trod a similar path. Former Chief Minister A K Antony travelled abroad for medical purposes after stepping down as Union defence minister. His successor, Oommen Chandy, too, underwent surgery in Davos, Switzerland, after slipping on snow during a visit to the World Economic Forum (WEF). Chandy sought further treatment in the US and Germany, though not during his tenure as chief minister.
While each of these trips was taken under different circumstances, the recurring pattern highlights how foreign treatment has often been the go-to option for the state’s top leadership in times of medical crisis — regardless of political affiliation. Pinarayi Vijayan’s follow-up treatment overseas adds another chapter in the long and evolving history of medical voyages undertaken by the state’s political elite.
P K Vasudevan Nair’s daughter, Sarada Mohan, dismissed the controversy surrounding the CM’s trip as unwarranted. “My father never went abroad for medical treatment, but that doesn’t mean other chief ministers shouldn’t. In my case, I prefer government hospitals for my healthcare needs, but that doesn’t give me the right to insist others do the same. These are personal choices, and each individual should be free to decide what’s best for their health.”
Late CPI leader N E Balaram’s daughter Geetha Nazeer also rejected the allegations. “Mayo Clinic is not available in Kerala, Gujarat, or any other Indian state. So what’s wrong if Pinarayi Vijayan goes to the US for specialised treatment? If this is seen as controversial, then why is it acceptable for many people to choose private hospitals over government ones, even when public facilities provide quality care? This entire issue is being blown out of proportion and seems to be driven by political motives.”