Communist teacher turned health minister leads pandemic fight in India
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By Bea Lumpkin

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"How Communist Physics Teacher Flattens COVID-19 Curve in Southern India," a headline in the online Science News [ [link removed] ], caught my eye. That was a contrast to the tragic number of pandemic deaths in the rest of India, or for that matter, in the United States. But I wasn't surprised. I had attended a math teachers conference in that part of India 20 years ago, in the state of Kerala.



The state of Kerala, with a population of 34 million, has more people than many countries. It is noted for high literacy rates, advanced social services, good education, and other favorable conditions that are simply not found in much of the rest of developing India. It also invests more in health care than any other state in the country. I knew that a coalition of two Communist parties and other left groups led the state government of Kerala. They have governed for much of the time stretching back to the 1960s. But more on that later.



On Jan. 18, the World Health Organization warned about the spread of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. K. K. Shailaja, a former teacher now heading Kerala's Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, knew that Kerala was in for trouble. Her response was immediate. By Jan. 24, Shailaja held a meeting of a rapid response team, set up a control room, and mobilized surveillance teams. She wasted no time in getting ready.