Thiruvananthapuram, 10 July (H.S.):

Former Kerala Minister and Ambalappuzha MLA G. Sudhakaran has said that political parties and voluntary organisations should not be allowed to distribute food inside government medical college campuses, asserting that providing meals to patients and their bystanders is the responsibility of the government.

Speaking at a programme with medical students, Sudhakaran said a decision had already been taken three weeks ago at a meeting attended by him, Congress MP K.C. Venugopal, the Alappuzha District Collector and the Medical College Superintendent that no political party or organisation should conduct food distribution within the Alappuzha Medical College campus.

However, he alleged that the decision has not been implemented.

Political parties have put up sheds inside the campus and hoisted their flags while distributing food. If parties are providing meals, then what is the government's responsibility? They claim they are serving rice and porridge, but at the same time they erect party flags and structures. All such arrangements should be removed, Sudhakaran said.

He maintained that while individuals belonging to political parties are free to visit the hospital, political parties and organisations themselves should have no presence on the campus for such activities.

No organisation should be distributing food inside the medical college. It is entirely the government's responsibility. That was the official decision taken for Alappuzha Medical College, he said.

Referring specifically to Seva Bharati, Sudhakaran alleged that the organisation had once again erected a shed inside the campus despite the official decision.

Even after the Collector participated in the meeting and a formal decision was taken, I visited the campus a week later and found Seva Bharati operating from a newly erected shed. What value is being given to the decisions taken in such official meetings? he asked.

Sudhakaran said he had contacted the Medical College Superintendent to question why the decision had not been enforced and demanded that all such structures be removed from the campus.

He also expressed concern over the quality of healthcare services at government medical colleges, alleging that patients were increasingly being denied treatment.

What is happening in our medical colleges? Ordinary staff members tell patients to take them elsewhere unless they are dying, he claimed.

Sudhakaran made the remarks while interacting with medical students, during which he also spoke about the need to improve healthcare delivery and urged students to play a role in correcting flawed systems and outdated regulations.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman