K erala loves to wear the crown of “Number One” the state that others should emulate, the model for healthcare, literacy, and social development. But beneath that shining crown lies a reality that stinks of neglect, bureaucracy, and dangerous arrogance. The tragic case of nine-year-old Vinodini, who lost her hand due to medical malpractice at the Palakkad District Hospital, has ripped open the carefully polished mask of Kerala’s so-called “world-class” health system. What we are witnessing is not just a single error it is the manifestation of a deep, systemic disease rotting the very core of public healthcare.

For years, the state has proudly declared its hospitals to be “modern,” its treatment “scientific,” and its infrastructure “world-class.” Ministers and officials never tire of tel

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