Thiruvananthapuram: The India Medical Association – Kerala chapter expressed its disapproval of the revised official logo of the National Medical Commission (NMC), which has caused controversy due to the replacement of ‘India’ with ‘Bharat’ and the inclusion of the image of the god of Ayurveda, ‘Dhanwantari’. In response, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticized the decision to rename primary healthcare centers as ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandir’, stating that it was not healthy.
The IMA – Kerala chapter issued a statement condemning the new NMC logo, stating that it conveys a misinterpretation and undermines the scientific and secular nature of the commission. According to the statement released by IMA Kerala state secretary K Sasidharan and President Joseph Benaven, the logo is not acceptable to the modern medical fraternity.
Echoing these sentiments, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused the central government of attempting to appropriate the health sector achievements of the state by renaming primary health centers as ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandir’. He criticized the directive to complete the renaming process by December 31, describing it as not healthy.
Vijayan emphasized that primary health centers in Kerala serve as a model for the rest of the country. He highlighted the state’s success in upgrading primary health centers to family health centers that operate until the evening. Comparatively, he mentioned that sub-centers in other states provide limited services.
The Chief Minister further stated that the central government was withholding funds based on unfounded allegations such as failure to engage in co-branding. He claimed that the funds allocated for central schemes were not being provided to the state. Vijayan asserted that 99% of the 6,825 healthcare institutions in Kerala had undergone co-branding, and the state conveyed this information to the Union Health Ministry in October of the previous year.
The controversy surrounding the logo change of the National Medical Commission and the renaming of primary health centers has brought to light the differing opinions between medical professionals and the government. The IMA – Kerala chapter continues to express its displeasure, while Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan protests the attempts to appropriate the state’s healthcare achievements. As this dispute unfolds, the future of the revised logo and the renamed health centers remains uncertain.
