Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Minister K Muraleedharan on Friday hit back at CPI(M) leaders over the procurement of medicines for children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, alleging that the drug company had contributed to the party's election fund.

On Thursday, CPI(M) central committee members P K Sreemathi and K K Shailaja, along with state committee member Veena George, alleged that the health sector was heading towards a serious crisis since the Congress-led UDF government assumed office.

All three leaders had served as health ministers in previous LDF governments.

Their press conference came amid a controversy over the distribution of low-cost, Indian-made medicines to children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, an inherited genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness and wasting due to the loss of lower motor neurons in the spinal cord and brainstem.

Photographs of the state Health minister meeting representatives of a domestic pharmaceutical company at his office surfaced on Thursday, triggering further criticism.

Responding to the allegations, Muraleedharan said the decision to withdraw the medicine was intended only to dispel doubts raised in the media and did not reflect concerns over its quality.

"There is no doubt about the reliability of the medicine. We withdrew it only after reports appeared on some television channels. The aim is to dispel concerns," he said, adding that doctors were directly engaging with parents to explain the medicine's benefits and address their apprehensions.

The minister said decisions on medicines were taken by expert committees, not politicians.

"I am not an MBBS doctor. There are expert doctors, and how can their decisions be questioned? Doctors can speak to patients, while politicians can speak to television channels. There are protocols for these matters," he said.

Maintaining that the medicine was suitable for treating the condition, he said the Health Department had clearly explained its position.

He alleged that pharmaceutical companies manufacturing imported medicines could be behind attempts to create apprehensions about the domestic alternative.

Muraleedharan said the state had procured the medicine from a Swiss pharmaceutical company in 2024 and still owed it around Rs 50 crore.

He questioned the role of companies involved in supplying medicines to the government and called for scrutiny of the procurement process.

Referring to a domestic pharmaceutical company, he alleged that it had donated Rs 1 crore to the CPI(M) in 2023-24 and Rs 50 lakh in 2024-25.

He said the contributions could be verified on the Election Commission's website and challenged the party to clarify the donations.

"These are not donations made now. The company's contributions to the Marxist party can be verified on the EC's website," he said.

The minister questioned the credentials of a Kannur-based pharmaceutical company that he said was involved in procuring medicines, asking whether it had the necessary expertise to manufacture or supply them.

He said the government would examine the matter and investigate any irregularities.

Aiming at the three CPI(M) leaders, Muraleedharan cited several incidents during previous LDF governments, including children's deaths following an alleged outbreak of infection, the procurement of medical equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic and discrepancies in official figures on Nipah deaths.

He alleged that medical equipment worth around Rs 1,200 crore remained unused and said the government would examine its condition.

He accused the previous administration of providing misleading information on deaths and other health-related issues.

"I have no fear of an investigation. We will investigate the alleged irregularities of the last 10 years. This government will not conduct an inquiry merely to target someone over this controversy," he said.

Muraleedharan said the government intended to promote Indian-made medicines and would not allow imported medicines to dominate procurement when suitable domestic alternatives were available.

Explaining his meeting with representatives of a domestic pharmaceutical company, the minister said the company had received a request for corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding to renovate an intensive care ward at SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

He said the hospital superintendent had sought Rs 75 lakh from the company on March 25, 2026, to renovate the ward, which treats children with infectious diseases, including chickenpox.

The company subsequently inspected the site and transferred Rs 25 lakh to an account associated with the project, he said.

"The superintendent's initiative to improve hospital facilities is welcome. I appreciate the officer for taking steps to renovate the ward. There is nothing wrong with seeking CSR funds from a company that is not blacklisted," Muraleedharan said.

He said he had received a certificate relating to the transfer and handed it over to the hospital authorities.

The minister argued that neither the meeting nor the funding arrangement indicated any wrongdoing.

"If the intention was to do something improper, would anyone take photographs while receiving and handing over the documents?" he asked, challenging critics to examine the records.

He said the government had a responsibility to provide effective medicines to children with SMA and ensure their welfare.

Doctors would explain the treatment to parents and address any concerns, he added.

The pharmaceutical companies are yet to respond to the minister's allegations.