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News18
7 days ago
- Health
- News18
Kerala's Beloved 'Two Rupee Doctor' Passes Away After A Lifetime Of Healing
Dr Rairu died in the early hours of Sunday at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy of compassionate and selfless medical care that healed countless patients. Nearly six decades ago, Dr A Gopalan Nambiar, a respected doctor in Kannur, northern Kerala, advised his son Rairu at the beginning of his medical career, 'If it's about making money, do some other job." This piece of advice profoundly influenced the life of the young doctor. Consequently, Dr AK Rairu Gopal began his practice by charging just Rs 2 as a consultation fee, a rate he maintained for over half a century, earning him the nickname 'Two Rupee Doctor." Dr Rairu died in the early hours of Sunday at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy of compassionate and selfless medical care that healed countless patients, especially the deprived and underprivileged. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who referred to Dr Rairu as 'the people's doctor," expressed condolences, noting that his dedication to service was a great relief to the poor. Dr Rairu completed his MBBS from Kozhikode Medical College and initially worked at a hospital in Kannur before opening his own clinic in Talap, where he served the community for 35 years. He later moved to a house near Thana Manikkakavu Temple. Locals noted that bus services added a stop at Dr Rairu's clinic near the police ground in Kannur town to facilitate patients. Dr Rairu used to examine patients from 4 am to 4 pm. Recognising the time constraints faced by workers, he began seeing patients as early as 3 am, sometimes attending to over 300 people in a day. On most days, he would see more than 200 patients. According to his own account, nearly 18 lakh patients, ranging from children to the elderly, sought his care over his career. He primarily prescribed low-cost, effective medicines and often provided them free of charge to those in financial need. Patients came from outside the district due to his nominal fee of Rs. 2, which he later increased to Rs. 10. Dr Rairu's daily routine was marked by discipline and simplicity. He woke up at 2:15 am, first tending to his cows, cleaning the shed, and collecting milk. After prayer and distributing milk, he would begin consultations. His journey into voluntary service began after witnessing the dire condition of a patient during a house visit. His wife, Dr Shakuntala, supported him in managing the crowd and distributing medicines. Together with his brothers, Dr Venugopal and Dr Rajagopal, he continued the family tradition of non-profit medical service. Dr Rairu is also survived by his son Bala Gopal and daughter Vidhya Bharath. He was honoured with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) award for the best family doctor in Kerala. Beyond his profession, Dr Rairu was a passionate animal lover who kept several pets. His body was cremated at Payyambalam, Kannur, on Sunday afternoon. view comments First Published: August 05, 2025, 12:17 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
United News of India
02-08-2025
- Health
- United News of India
Breast milk provided to 17,307 infants, donated by 4,673 mothers in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 2 (UNI) A total of 17,307 infants in Kerala have benefited from donor breast milk provided through the state's three operational breast milk banks, thanks to the generous contributions of 4,673 mothers. Health Minister Veena George announced that the breast milk banks established in various hospitals across the state have been a resounding success. Under the current government, milk banks have been set up at Kozhikode Medical College, Thrissur Medical College, and Ernakulam General Hospital. Facilities at SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam Medical College are also ready for launch. So far, 11,441 babies have received donor milk at Kozhikode Medical College, 4,870 at Thrissur Medical College, and 996 at Ernakulam General Hospital. Encouraged by this success, the government plans to expand milk banks to more hospitals, benefiting a significantly larger number of newborns. Breastfeeding Week is being observed from August 1 to 7, emphasizing the vital role of breast milk in ensuring infant health and survival. Health experts recommend initiating breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and continuing exclusively for the first six months. However, factors such as infectious diseases, low birth weight, or mothers being on ventilators may prevent some newborns from being breastfed. The milk banks aim to bridge this gap by ensuring the availability of safe donor milk for such infants. Donor breast milk is collected from healthy, willing lactating mothers, and is then processed, screened, and stored hygienically before being distributed to infants in need. Most donations come from mothers and hospital staff. In some cases, mothers unable to breastfeed their own babies may also choose to donate milk. Milk is dispensed only after rigorous screening to confirm the absence of harmful bacteria, and it can be safely stored in freezers for several months. The Health Department, in collaboration with the Department of Women and Child Development, has prioritized the promotion of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding centres have been established in public spaces and hospitals across the state. In addition, the Mother and Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative has been launched to ensure quality and compassionate healthcare for mothers and infants and to encourage breastfeeding. This initiative has already been implemented in 45 hospitals. Minister Veena George emphasized that breastfeeding is one of the most precious gifts a mother can give to her child. She urged mothers to embrace this responsibility and called on families to provide the necessary support and encouragement. UNI DS SS
India Today
25-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
Tamil Nadu teen dies after alleged 3-month juice-only diet he saw on YouTube
Tamil Nadu teen dies after alleged 3-month juice-only diet he saw on YouTube. (AI generated representational photo) Boy followed extreme juice diet inspired by a YouTube video Family says no medical advice was taken before the diet Cause of death not yet confirmed by autopsy report A 17-year-old boy from Colachel in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district died of suspected suffocation at his residence on Thursday, with his family linking the death to an extreme diet plan he had been following for the last three months. The deceased, Saktheeswaran, was described by his family as healthy and active, and had been on a self-imposed fruit juice-only diet, reportedly inspired by a video he watched on YouTube. His family told doctors and police that he had not consulted any medical or nutritional expert before undertaking the drastic dietary change. They added that he had also been on certain unspecified medication and had recently taken up working out. According to his family, Saktheeswaran had been consuming only fruit juice, entirely avoiding solid food, in an attempt to follow the online diet regimen. On Thursday, he suddenly complained of breathlessness and collapsed at home. He was declared dead shortly afterwards. Doctors are currently examining the autopsy report to verify the exact cause of death. While suffocation has been mentioned as a possible reason, it has not yet been medically established whether the boy's death was caused by improper diet planning. In a similar incident which occurred in March 2025, an 18-year-old girl from Kerala's Kannur district, died due to health complications caused by severe dietary restrictions and prolonged starvation, reportedly driven by her fear of gaining weight. The teen, identified as Sreenanda, a resident of Koothuparamba, passed away while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Thalassery, where she had been on ventilator support. She had previously been admitted to Kozhikode Medical College for treatment as well. According to her relatives, Sreenanda had been skipping meals and excessively exercising out of an intense fear of weight gain. She was reportedly following diet plans suggested by online platforms and had been surviving on a water diet, eventually reaching a state of extreme starvation. She was a first-year undergraduate student at Mattannur Pazhassiraja NSS College. A 17-year-old boy from Colachel in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district died of suspected suffocation at his residence on Thursday, with his family linking the death to an extreme diet plan he had been following for the last three months. The deceased, Saktheeswaran, was described by his family as healthy and active, and had been on a self-imposed fruit juice-only diet, reportedly inspired by a video he watched on YouTube. His family told doctors and police that he had not consulted any medical or nutritional expert before undertaking the drastic dietary change. They added that he had also been on certain unspecified medication and had recently taken up working out. According to his family, Saktheeswaran had been consuming only fruit juice, entirely avoiding solid food, in an attempt to follow the online diet regimen. On Thursday, he suddenly complained of breathlessness and collapsed at home. He was declared dead shortly afterwards. Doctors are currently examining the autopsy report to verify the exact cause of death. While suffocation has been mentioned as a possible reason, it has not yet been medically established whether the boy's death was caused by improper diet planning. In a similar incident which occurred in March 2025, an 18-year-old girl from Kerala's Kannur district, died due to health complications caused by severe dietary restrictions and prolonged starvation, reportedly driven by her fear of gaining weight. The teen, identified as Sreenanda, a resident of Koothuparamba, passed away while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Thalassery, where she had been on ventilator support. She had previously been admitted to Kozhikode Medical College for treatment as well. According to her relatives, Sreenanda had been skipping meals and excessively exercising out of an intense fear of weight gain. She was reportedly following diet plans suggested by online platforms and had been surviving on a water diet, eventually reaching a state of extreme starvation. She was a first-year undergraduate student at Mattannur Pazhassiraja NSS College. Join our WhatsApp Channel
New Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Two primary Nipah cases spark major concern in Palakkad
PALAKKAD: The Nipah virus threat in the district has escalated significantly with the confirmation of two primary cases - a development that health officials describe as 'very rare' and 'a cause for concern'. One of the infected individuals, a 39-year-old woman from Kizhakkumpuram in Thachanattukara, remains under critical care at Kozhikode Medical College since July 4, while another patient, a 58-year-old man from Changaleeri in Kumaramputhur already succumbed to the virus on Saturday night. Authorities had sent samples from the deceased patient's son after he began exhibiting suspected symptoms on Sunday. The initial tests conducted on the 32-year-old at Malappuram Medical College turned positive for Nipah. However, the samples were subsequently sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, where his latest test results have come back negative, according to a senior health department official. An official confirmation will be issued only after the Medical Board receives final verification from NIV Pune that all samples have tested negative. Meanwhile, Kumaramputhur grama panchayat president Rajan Ambadath told TNIE that both the District Collector's Office and the District Medical Officer (DMO) had informed him that the 32-year-old youth had tested positive for Nipah. 'They informed us about the test result and said they are in the process of preparing the patient's route map,' he said. 'We have also requested additional police deployment, as several people, including government employees, are still commuting for work from the containment zone,' he said. He also expressed concern over the lack of timely communication from authorities, stating that the local body is not being kept adequately informed.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
KU VC faces challenge from registrar
T'puram: In an unprecedented development, Kerala University (KU) vice-chancellor (VC) Mohanan Kunnummal lost much of his authority on Thursday when pro-Left union members in the university administrationbrought registrar K S Anil Kumar into his office and gave him access to e-files, defying the VC's orders. On Wednesday, Kunnummal rejected Kumar's leave application, saying a suspended officer cannot take leave. He also told the security officer not to let Kumar enter his chamber, arguing that the syndicate members' claim about cancelling Kumar's suspension was not valid. KU's Left union leaders refused to give the file transfer ID to planning director Mini Kappen, whom the VC had chosen to take charge as registrar. Instead, they arranged file access and authority for Kumar. The university security officer, a police officer on deputation, reported to Kunnummal that Kumar ignored his instructions, even after they were clearly communicated. Kunnummal was not present at KU headquarters on Thursday as he was in Kozhikode in connection with the inauguration of a family health building at Kozhikode Medical College. Sources said he had instructed the joint registrars not to send him files that come through Kumar and asked them to send urgent files directly. However, it's unclear if they will follow his instructions. Kunnummal, who is the VC of Kerala University of Health Sciences, is holding the additional charge at Kerala University. He had suspended Kumar from service for allegedly insulting governor Rajendra V Arlekar by cancelling permission he had granted for a private function at University Senate Hall. Arlekar is also the chancellor of the university. Later, the syndicate claimed it had revoked Kumar's suspension. However, interim VC Ciza Thomas had already dissolved the syndicate meeting held last Sunday. Thomas had called the meeting, at the request of 16 members, to finalize a statement of facts for submission to the High Court the next day. On Thursday, SFI and AISF activists protested inside the university campus while DYFI workers held a demonstration outside, shouting slogans against Arlekar and Kunnummal. Guv praises health dept, general edu min stays away from event Governor Rajendra Arlekar, who attended a public function in the state capital amid the continuing protest by the youth outfits of the Left front, refused to comment on the agitation against the universities or the Raj Bhavan. Meanwhile, general education minister V Sivankutty, who was the chief guest, stayed away from it citing the reason that the cabinet meeting was going on. Arlekar attended the function to inaugurate Niramaya Keralam, a project to initiate first-aid education in the school curriculum framework. When asked for reactions about the ongoing protests, Arlekar said, "Many things were happening at the event." The governor praised the health department for its efforts to include first-aid lessons in the school curriculum. He also commended Kerala as a model for many states. Later in the afternoon, the SFI took out a protest to the Raj Bhavan and clashed with police for hours. Police cordoned off the area and installed three levels of barricades. Despite repeated usage of water cannons, the SFI workers did not disperse. They later climbed atop the barricades and challenged police to launch a direct clash with them. But police raised the alarm for firing the teargas shells. Later, the leaders addressed the SFI workers assembled in front of the barricade. After this, they dispersed without creating much trouble.
