Attappady Tribal Hospital to get more specialists, newborn care facilities

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan on Saturday listened to patients at the Tribal Taluk Special Hospital at Kottathara in Attappady. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The Kottathara Tribal Taluk Specialty Hospital in Attappady will get more specialist doctors, a pediatric clinic and expanded neonatal care facilities as part of efforts to improve healthcare services in Attappady.

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said on Saturday that the new appointees will be paediatricians, gynecologists and anaesthetists.

With the help of NABARD, a new block will be constructed with neonatal care facilities and an emergency operation theatre, he said.

Mr. Muraleedharan announced this at a review meeting after visiting the hospital on Saturday. The minister’s visit came in the wake of growing criticism of the government following a series of infant deaths among members of the Attappady tribe.

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan addressing a review meeting of officials held at Agali Community Health Centre, Attappady on Saturday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Taluk Tribal Specialty Hospital in Kottathara and Government Medical College Hospital, Thrissur, will work on a spoken word and center model to improve access to specialty treatment.

Pediatricians at both hospitals will coordinate patient care, Mr. Muraleedharan said. A radiologist from the medical college will provide services at the Kottathara hospital once a week, he said.

Children’s ambulance

The tribal hospital in Attappady will also get a children’s clinic. In coordination with the Faculty of Medicine, its neonatal and children’s department will be expanded. There will be an increase in the number of workers in the field and the introduction of a mobile medical unit.

The government will consider providing cooked meals to pregnant women under the Janani Janma Raksha scheme implemented by the Scheduled Tribes (ST) Development Department instead of the existing monthly assistance of ₹2,000. The minister said he would discuss the proposal with Minister for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes Welfare KA Thulasi.

The report of the expert committee that studied the infant deaths in Attappady will be reviewed before further action is taken, he said.

The Minister also visited the Agali Community Health Center in Attappady and held a review meeting.

The meeting was attended by District Collector Sudheer K., Additional Director Health Department Reetha KP, representatives of local bodies, District Medical Officer K. Bindu Thomas, members of the expert committee, hospital officials and representatives of various departments.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) observed a black day in Attappady on Saturday, protesting the rise in infant deaths.

Published – 31 Oct 2026 20:04 IST