Kerala Seniors Face Long Waits for Crucial Health Services

The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) in Kerala is facing a critical shortage of doctors and wellness centers, causing significant hardship for its beneficiaries, primarily senior citizens and former central government employees. As of November 15, 2026, the scheme, established in 1954, serves over 100,000 individuals in Kerala. However, these beneficiaries rely on just six wellness centers, with an inadequate number of doctors available.

This disparity is stark when comparing Kerala's doctor-beneficiary ratio of 1:10,752 to the national average of 1:3,441. The centers are heavily overcrowded, with some serving nearly 25,000 beneficiaries each, far exceeding the norm of one center per 6,000 individuals. Patients often arrive before dawn for appointments, only to face delays and the possibility of returning home without care as the centers close promptly at 2 p.m.

Accessing essential services, including free medicines, diagnostic tests, and approvals for further treatment, involves extensive paperwork routed through these overwhelmed wellness centers. This creates a bottleneck for pensioners who depend on CGHS for comprehensive outpatient and inpatient care. An urgent revision of human resources and infrastructure is deemed necessary to address the rising beneficiary population and improve service delivery within the state.