More specialists and a paediatric ambulance for Kottathara Tribal Speciality Hospital to curb infant deaths in Attappadi

30 October 2026

Health and Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan has announced steps to stop infant deaths in Attappadi after visiting the area and reviewing its health services.
More paediatricians, gynaecologists and anaesthesiologists will be posted at Kottathara Tribal Speciality Hospital, which is short of doctors.
A new block with newborn care and an emergency operation theatre is to be built there with help from NABARD.
Thrissur Medical College Hospital will work with Kottathara in a hub-and-spoke model, and its radiologist will visit once a week.
A paediatric ambulance, a mobile medical unit and more field health workers are planned, and the neonatal and paediatric wings will be expanded.
The government will also consider giving pregnant women cooked meals instead of the Rs 2,000 cash aid under the Janani Janmaraksha (Janani Janma Raksha) scheme of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Department.