‘No distribution of food packets within hospital premises’; Health Minister issues directive

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister K Muraleedharan said food should not be distributed within the premises of the hospital after placing banners and tying flags. The minister while addressing the press meet informed that community kitchens would be established to provide free meals in hospitals. The community kitchen project will be first implemented in Alappuzha Medical College.

Ambalappuzha MLA G Sudhakaran had the other day criticized the distribution of pothichor at Alappuzha Medical College. In a Facebook post, Sudhakaran said that unlike any other medical college, sheds were erected inside the Alappuzha Medical College compound for cooking and distributing food, and such a system should be discouraged.

He also alleged that several organizations collect money for the food distribution and that the accounts of the funds collected should be submitted to the hospital development committee. According to him, the food distribution should be organized transparently in a manner that enhances the reputation of the hospital.

Sudhakaran further said the hospital premises should not be turned into a competitive arena by distributing food under the banners of different organizations. He noted that in earlier years, a Left youth organization had distributed meals collected from houses, but now the programme is being run by collecting money, which he said is not the proper way to conduct it.