Kerala Chief Ministers and Their Overseas Medical Voyages — A Historical Route Map

Pinarayi Vijayan's US visit has once again brought into focus the practice of netas seeking healthcare abroad

- JOSE K JOSEPH @T'Puram

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's journey to the United States for medical treatment has once again brought into focus a long-standing practice among top political leaders—seeking advanced healthcare abroad.

While the move sparked political criticism over the state of Kerala's public healthcare system, it also aligns with a historical pattern of chief ministers, cutting across party lines, turning to foreign countries for treatment.

Rare exceptions included CPM's E K Nayanar and CPI's P K Vasudevan Nair, who are perhaps among the few state CMs who never travelled abroad for medical treatment.

The practice dates back to the pre-1990 era when left leaders, particularly from the CPI and CPM, preferred the erstwhile Soviet Union for higher medical care. Two of Kerala's most iconic communist chief ministers—E M S Namboodiripad and C Achutha Menon—travelled to the USSR for treatment during their time in office. Back then, the country was seen as a trusted destination, both ideologically and diplomatically, especially by left leaders.