Top officials summoned to capital city amid rising health concerns

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The health department has summoned top officials to the capital city amid concerns over rising epidemic in the state. Medical officers and deputy DMOs from various districts up to Kasaragod have been directed to attend the programme in Thiruvananthapuram. The emergency meeting was called to take a class on disciplinary measures for the officials.

Health Minister K Muraleedharan had responded in the House the other day that there is no such terror atmosphere in Kerala and that the problem facing the health department now is ‘10 years of reels and five years of playing the veena’. The minister was replying to the notice of adjournment motion moved by P A Mohammed Riyas.

The minister said 16 people have died of Nipah in 2018 and now it is limited to only one person and it is a false propaganda that Nipah is spreading. Epidemic prevention will be made scientific and long-term. An epidemic calendar will be prepared. The notice for the motion stating that Ebola has been confirmed in Kerala is incorrect. It has not been confirmed anywhere in India. The minister had also clarified that a person who had returned from Sudan with symptoms was tested at Kottayam Medical College, but the results were negative.