Health Minister K. Muraleedharan says CSR support from banks and institutions can help upgrade hospitals and medical colleges
THRISSUR (India CSR): The Kerala government is exploring greater use of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds from banks and other institutions to strengthen infrastructure in government hospitals and medical colleges, Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said while inaugurating new academic, digital and public health initiatives at the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS).
Speaking in Thrissur on July 31, 2026, Muraleedharan said the State is willing to work with the private sector to improve public healthcare infrastructure through effective use of CSR funding.
The announcement came during the inauguration of four initiatives at KUHS, including the university’s first on-campus academic programme, an MSc in Medical Bioinformatics.
CSR for Healthcare
Muraleedharan said CSR funds available with banks and other institutions could be channelled towards infrastructure requirements in government hospitals and medical colleges.
Such support could help public institutions add or upgrade medical facilities without depending entirely on conventional government budget allocations.
The Minister did not announce a specific CSR corpus, list of participating companies or banks, or identify the hospitals and medical colleges that may initially receive such support.
Further details on project selection, procurement and monitoring mechanisms are also awaited.
New KUHS Initiatives
The Minister inaugurated the MSc in Medical Bioinformatics, which is the first academic programme being conducted directly on the KUHS campus.
He also dedicated a medicinal plant garden established with financial assistance from the National Medicinal Plants Board and technical support from the Kerala Forest Research Institute.
The garden is intended to support the availability and study of medicinal plants, particularly in the context of requirements in the Ayurveda sector.
Muraleedharan said the initiative could help address shortages of medicinal plants.
Public Health Awareness
KUHS also introduced a public health YouTube channel aimed at providing evidence-based health information.
Muraleedharan said the platform was relevant at a time when misinformation and unscientific claims continue to circulate on subjects such as COVID-19 and organ transplantation.
He said universities and medical institutions have a role in making verified health information more accessible to the public.
The initiative also includes public awareness efforts on issues such as snakebite prevention.
Digital Learning
An e-learning studio was also inaugurated at the university.
The facility will be used to offer master classes and academic content to students across different disciplines.
The initiative reflects the university’s effort to combine conventional medical education with digital learning tools and wider access to specialised academic content.
Health Research
KUHS Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal, who presided over the programme, said the proposed move to bring Government Medical College, Thrissur, under the university as a constituent college could strengthen medical and health research.
He urged the government to expedite the process, noting that the proposal has already been included in the State Budget.
A constituent medical college could provide KUHS with a closer institutional link between academic teaching, clinical practice and research.
Public Infrastructure
Muraleedharan said the government’s broader objective is to improve the quality of education and healthcare while creating opportunities that can reduce the migration of students and professionals outside Kerala.
The proposed use of CSR funds for hospitals and medical colleges adds a corporate participation component to this public infrastructure strategy.
For stronger transparency, future disclosures would need to specify the value of CSR funds mobilised, participating institutions, beneficiary hospitals, project costs and measurable healthcare outcomes.
