KOCHI: Even when the ‘Kerala Model’ is being touted much, a taluk hospital in Kerala does not even have a maternity ward, the high court criticized on Thursday.
Justice N Nagaresh raised the issue of lack of infrastructure at the taluk hospital at Peerumedu in Idukki while considering a petition filed by TM Azad through advocate R Rajasekharan Pillai. The petitioner is seeking a directive to the state government to commence a maternity ward at the taluk hospital at Peerumedu with an operation theatre having all facilities and instruments.
Hearing the case, the court remarked, “This is taluk headquarters hospital. It is shameful to say there is no maternity ward. We keep saying Kerala model, Kerala mode but for what.”
Kerala Model, which refers to focus on social development instead of economic development, was cited as the reason for the state’s success in handling the first wave of Covid-19.
On Thursday, the court noted that it had issued an order on December 14 asking the state government to submit a status report on making the maternity ward at Peerumedu taluk hospital operational but has received no response yet. The court has now directed the government to furnish the report expeditiously.
