Palakkad – Even as the Kerala government marks four years of rule with celebratory events, over 1,500 tribal residents in the Parambikulam region are enduring a healthcare crisis. The only Public Health Centre (PHC) serving 11 tribal hamlets has been operating without a single doctor or medical staff for more than four weeks, putting lives at serious risk.
Kalpana Devi, president of the Muthalamada panchayat, condemned the situation:
“This hospital was supposed to be the backbone of healthcare here. Now it’s just a ghost building. No doctor, no nurse, not even a pharmacist. It’s a total collapse.”
Tribal residents, already isolated in forest regions 10–40 km from the defunct PHC, now have to travel up to 70 km to reach Muthalamada for serious medical needs — often at a cost of Rs 4,000 for private vehicles due to the absence of public transport.
Thajudheen P, vice-president of the panchayat, called the situation “criminal negligence,” pointing to untreated intrauterine deaths and pre-term births, with pregnant women left without basic check-ups.
Despite two sanctioned doctor posts, the PHC remains staff-less, with past appointees quickly leaving due to poor infrastructure and lack of long-term planning.
A senior District Medical Office (DMO) official, speaking anonymously, admitted:
“No one wants to stay. It’s too remote and under-resourced. Without strong government intervention, this will keep happening.”
Meanwhile, tribal families are increasingly relying on health services across the Tamil Nadu border or turning to private clinics they can scarcely afford. Despite a formal appeal to the DMO, the response has only been vague assurances, with no concrete action taken yet.
The plight of Parambikulam’s tribals stands in stark contrast to the government’s celebratory mood, highlighting a glaring healthcare inequality in the state.
