Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 17 (IANS): Kerala Health Minister Veena George often praises the standard of health care being offered to people of the state, but in her own constituency Pathanamthitta, conditions at the district hospital are far from optimal.

On Tuesday, visuals coming out from the Pathanamthitta district hospital showed attendants and Class IV employees carrying patients from the second and third floor of the building to the ground floor as the only lift in the building has not been functioning for days.

As the operation theatre is on the third and the labour room is on the second floor, it is common to see patients being carried up and down on stretchers for and after surgeries.

Angry Youth Congress workers at the hospital compound said every time the hospital development committee brings out the shortfalls in the hospital where patients are facing difficulties, the stock answer that is given by the authorities is things are all fine.

Asked about the facilities, an elderly woman, seen taking the flight of stairs, said: "Things are not that good, but since we belong to the party (CPI-M), we cannot say anything as we will have to face the music", and disappeared quickly.

Another woman said that she has been frequenting the hospital since September 13 and found that the lift has not been working.

George has been representing the Pathanamthitta constituency, ever since the CPI-M pulled her out of a Malayalam TV channel where she was the news anchor in 2016 and fielded her in the elections that year. It was after her second successive win in 2021, that she became a surprise choice for Health Minister, replacing the veteran party colleague K.K.Shailaja.