Kerala CM Vijayan flays IMA for insulting Health Dept with 'worm' comment

In a release, the IMA had also alleged that enough ventilators and ICUs were not ready yet to treat serious patients. Vijayan, at a press meet held in the evening, said the state government takes decisions in the health sector based on the suggestions submitted by an expert medical panel, which also includes members from the IMA. "The IMA is an organization of doctors. From various suggestions provided by organizations, including the IMA, the expert panel selects the best option and submits it to the government," he added.

The state government has various medical panels, including the COVID cell, Rapid Response Team, State Medical Board, an expert panel and all these are "handled by those with academic expertise," he said. "We follow the suggestions of these bodies to contain the pandemic.

The members of these bodies are also members of IMA. After all, IMA is not an expert body, but an organization of doctors to safeguard their interests. But has the central government been considering their expertise during this pandemic? They do not have any criticism on that score," Vijayan said.

Dismissing the association's charge about a shortage of ventilators, he said steps had already been to make to make necessary purchases. Kerala has been witnessing a steep climb in COVID-19 cases in the past one month and opposition parties have been attacking the state government, alleging lapses in the health department.

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