Thiruvananthapuram, June 8 (UNI) Kerala Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has directed the Food Safety Department to intensify inspections across the state following the detection of Shigella infections in multiple districts, warning that strict preventive measures are necessary to contain the spread of the disease.
The minister said 123 cases of Shigella have been reported from Alappuzha and Aranmula, while three children in Kozhikode have also been diagnosed with the infection. One of the infected children, a four-year-old girl, succumbed to the disease.
In view of the situation, inspections at hotels, restaurants and roadside food stalls will be strengthened, while drinking water quality checks will be intensified across the state.
Muraleedharan said hotels are legally required to provide boiled and cooled drinking water to customers. However, many establishments continue to ignore the rule and serve ordinary water. If contaminated water is supplied, Shigella bacteria can easily spread through it, he said.
The minister said the Health Department has been instructed to ensure proper chlorination of drinking water. Though some people complain about the smell and taste of chlorine, it remains an essential public health measure.
"Chlorination has to be done. Otherwise, there is a possibility of this disease spreading rapidly. The infection that was initially reported in Alappuzha and Aranmula has now reached Kozhikode," he said.
Muraleedharan also expressed concern over reports that ice used for preserving fish is in some places being reused for drinking water purposes. Such practices pose a serious health risk and will not be tolerated, he said.
The minister warned that hotels and roadside food stalls operating in unhygienic conditions would not be allowed to function under any circumstances. Food safety officials have been directed to conduct rigorous inspections and take strict action against violators.
As part of the containment measures, the government has instructed authorities to test samples of midday meals served in schools and examine drinking water sources in educational institutions.
Referring to the death reported from Kozhikode, the minister said the situation demands heightened vigilance. Three children were admitted to hospital in the district after contracting the infection.
Among them, 10-year-old Devananda and two-year-old Adam Alhan recovered and were discharged after treatment. However, four-year-old Nila from Thalakkulathur died due to the disease.
The minister also addressed concerns over an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting among 164 students at a school in the Wayanad district. While the incident had triggered fears of a possible Shigella outbreak, preliminary investigations have indicated that the illness was not caused by Shigella infection.
According to the initial report, tests conducted on water from the school's borewell did not reveal any contamination. The results of samples collected from the well water are still awaited and will provide a clearer picture of the cause of the illness, he said.
Meanwhile, Muraleedharan accused certain groups of spreading false and misleading information regarding the state's healthcare sector.
The minister referred to a statement reportedly issued by the Government Nurses Association alleging that the Kerala government was moving towards privatisation of healthcare services. Rejecting the allegation, he said no democratic government could even contemplate privatising public healthcare.
Clarifying his earlier remarks, Muraleedharan said he had only suggested utilising Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds from major institutions to renovate and modernise hospitals.
He said the government's White Paper had already highlighted the financial limitations facing the state. At a time when resources are needed to improve doctor-patient ratios, strengthen healthcare facilities and clear various pending financial commitments, constructing new government hospital buildings entirely with public funds poses significant challenges.
"It is because of these financial constraints that I said CSR funds may have to be utilised for hospital infrastructure development. This should not be interpreted as privatisation of healthcare," he said.
The minister also dismissed reports concerning the proposed health insurance scheme named after late Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. Certain reports had claimed that the scheme would be implemented only through private hospitals.
Muraleedharan said neither the UDF nor the state Cabinet had even discussed the framework for implementing the proposed scheme. Therefore, reports regarding its mode of implementation were entirely baseless and misleading, he added.
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