Keralam Health Minister to visit Attappady amid infant deaths; expert team begins probe

The Keralam government has deputed two teams of experts from the Health department and the Directorate of Medical Education, who will camp at Attapady and conduct a detailed inquiry into the circumstances leading to infant deaths in the tribal colonies there.

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said he himself would be visiting Attappady on Saturday (October 31, 2026). He will hold meetings with health officials at the Kottathara Tribal Speciality Hospital to assess the region’s health-care facilities and review measures to prevent more infant deaths.

Mr. Muraleedharan will also be visiting Agali community health centre and hold meetings with doctors and the health department’s field-level workers, review the health-care challenges and treatment facilities in the region.

The basic issues affecting health-care delivery and the uptake of maternal and childcare services by the community have to be identified and resolved, the Health Minister said.

Meanwhile, the expert medical teams have already arrived at Attappady and have been conducting field visits.

The team appointed by the Directorate of Health Services include the State Tribal Health nodal officer Harikumar, National Health Mission Maternal and Child Health nodal officer Joy John, and Assistant Director of Health Services Lipsy Paul.

The Medical Education department has deputed seven specialists from government medical colleges, including experts in genetics, paediatric cardiology, paediatric gastroenterology, neonatology, infectious diseases and gynaecology. The team is headed by I. Riaz, Superintendent of SAT Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.

The teams will visit tribal hamlets, hospitals, community health centres, family health centres and health sub-centres across Attappady. All pregnant women and children below five years of age in the region will be examined directly and necessary investigations and treatment will be ensured.

The teams will also conduct a detailed audit of neonatal, infant and child deaths reported in Attappady in 2026 to identify the causes and examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The functioning of mobile medical teams and the nutritional rehabilitation centre will also be assessed as part of the investigation.

The expert committee has been asked to submit a report, incorporating its recommendations, within a week of completing the detailed assessment. Further action will be taken based on the report.

The government intends to identify the causes of maternal and child deaths in Attappady and put in place emergency or short-term measures as well as long-term interventions to improve the health of tribal mothers and children.