The Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) staged a walkout and boycotted the proceedings of the Kerala Legislative Assembly after Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan disallowed its notice for an adjournment motion on the alleged failure of the United Democratic Front (UDF) government to prevent the spread of diseases was disallowed on Monday.

The Speaker declined to admit the adjournment motion based on Health Minister K. Muraleedharan’s explanation on the steps taken by the government to handle Nipah, Shigella, as well as viral infections.

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that there was a delay on the part of the government in taking preventive measures after one person was diagnosed with Nipah in Kozhikode. He accused the Health Minister of being absent from Kozhikode, immediately after the Nipah case was reported, as was the practice during the tenure of the LDF government.

“In the Health Minister’s own words, there was a lack of coordination between the Health and Local self government departments. The Minister, as well as the officials, were repeatedly making contradictory statements. In such times of crisis, the government should be able to take everyone along for effective preventive measures,” he said.

Mr. Vijayan said that the government should take immediate steps to ensure that District Medical Officers (DMO) are appointed in five districts, including four districts in the Malabar region, where the posts are lying vacant. The government’s delay in appointing 390 doctors who have been given advice memos after being included in the PSC rank lists is also concerning. The transfer of officials, including the Director of Health Services (DHS), at such times should be avoided, he said.

CPI(M) MLA P.A. Mohamed Riyas, who, along with CPI MLA G.R. Anil, had moved the adjournment motion, said that the initial indications of the UDF government’s handling of the health crisis are not encouraging. He said that Kerala has witnessed 87 deaths due to various viral infections since June 1 year.

“The previous LDF government spent its first month in a fight to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the current UDF government, in its first month, was embroiled in an infighting for power. We don’t intend to personally attack the Health Minister or the Chief Minister over this, as the UDF has done in the past, because that is not the political culture of the left. But there should be proper coordination between the government and the officials for effective disease prevention. The lack of pre-monsoon cleaning also led to this situation,” he said.

Mr. Muraleedharan said that the government is trying to right a health system that is in shambles. He accused the previous LDF government of not taking sufficient steps for disease prevention, including in cleaning activities, during the earlier part of the year when it was in charge.

“Currently, only one case of Nipah has been reported. We were successful in preventing the spread due to effective tracking. How many deaths due to Nipah had happened in the previous government’s tenure? Our government’s approach is not to hide disease outbreaks and claim that everything is fine, but to scientifically control its spread by making the people a part of the process,” he said.

The Minister explained the steps taken by the government till now. To control Dengue fever, the government has taken steps to destroy the sources of mosquitoes. Dry day campaigns have begun across the State in government institutions, schools and homes. The Food Safety department has stepped up checks in restaurants, wayside eateries and drinking water bottling units.

A high-power committee of experts have been formed to study the causes of the disease spread and to prepare an epidemic calendar. Outbreak monitoring units and action committees have been formed at the State and district levels. The Minister said that no cases of Ebola have been reported in the State. The one suspect case has tested negative.

Regarding the transfer of the DHS, the Minister said that some officials who were unaware of the change in government and continued to prove their allegiance to the previous government had to be transferred.