India's Health Minister JP Nadda Announces Major Healthcare Boost for Kerala

Union Health Minister JP Nadda met with Kerala Health Minister K. Muraleetharan in New Delhi and pledged a series of federal support measures for the state. The government gave provisional approval for an additional 100 MBBS seats at the K. Karunakaran Memorial Government Medical College starting next academic year and reaffirmed its commitment to establishing an AIIMS campus in Kerala.

Beyond medical education, Nadda promised to help set up India’s first genetics institute in Kerala, strengthen district hospitals, and create trauma‑care centres in every district. He approved an increase in health‑insurance coverage under the central scheme, pledged assistance to upgrade three mental‑health centres, and offered central funding for HPV vaccination for girls. The minister also said the centre would consider boosting financial aid to the National Health Mission, increase support for the State Virology Institute, and address the supply of drugs for non‑communicable diseases and certain cancers. Nadda characterised the delays in starting MBBS admissions at the Karunakaran college as "criminal negligence" and assured that investigations and corrective action would follow.