Kerala’s health sector needs selective private participation, says Muraleedharan

Key points

• Muraleedharan has said that given the fragile fiscal health of the State, private participation might be required to develop the health sector.
• The government will, however, ensure that this does not translate into additional healthcare expenditure for the people, he added.
• Talking to reporters at Kozhikode on Friday, Mr. Muraleedharan said that just as the Left had opened up the State’s higher education sector for private investment, a certain amount of private sector engagement would be needed in the health sector, especially since the State’s financial position was in the red.
• “If some reputed private firm steps up to invest in infrastructural development — a new hospital building for the public sector, perhaps — we will definitely accept it,” he said.
• Maximum use of CSR funds The government will however be very selective about the private investors in health.