By Shishir Prashant 
By J John (a resident of Delhi)
From Delhi, my wife Sheeba and I reached Kochi on 12 April 2026. Our friend was there to receive us. On our way to Kottayam, Sheeba started coughing badly, and we decided to visit a known hospital. After a long wait and going through the procedure of token taking, etc., she got the opportunity to consult a Doctor. He said that the cough could be allergic and did not prescribe an antibiotic.
Unfortunately, the cough worsened over the next one hour. We were worried because she is a cancer survivor and still undergoing treatment. We went to many medical stores (pharmacies) to get antibiotics for her. Everyone refused. We tried to explain her situation and also showed her prescription from Delhi. The pharmacists refused antibiotics on the grounds that the latest prescription did not mention antibiotics and the old prescription naturally had a previous date. This was a new experience for us. No antibiotics without prescription and if the prescription date is not current.
Sheeba’s cough further worsened. It was already 7:00 PM on a Sunday. Where to go? Which hospital will be open on a Sunday so late in the evening? Our friend suggested that we go to the District Government Hospital.
We went to the Kottayam District General Hospital (a public hospital). There were many patients waiting to see two Doctors on duty. We went in when the turn came. Then, the Doctor told us to get the token. I searched for the registration counter. The staff at the counter asked me for Rs.5 for registration of the patient. I did not have the change with me. Who carries Rs.5/- nowadays? It is Rs.500/- or a UPI payment. The counter, unfortunately, did not have a UPI payment facility. I left the queue and came out to fetch Rs.5/-. I went back, stood in the queue, and registered the patient by giving Rs.20/- at the counter. The staff returned me Rs 15/-.
I rushed back to the Doctor’s room where Sheeba was sitting on a bench beside the wall while the Doctors were attending to other patients. With the token, Sheeba consulted the young Doctor. He listened to her patiently in spite of the mad rush, and prescribed her medicines.
We came out without knowing where to get medicines and found a pharmacy on the hospital premises. I gave the prescription; the pharmacist gave medicines in separate covers, each describing the dosage and frequency. I asked her how much to pay for the medicines. She said nothing to pay.
Wow. That was inconceivable for a person who lived in Delhi for more than 35 years. Paying just Rs 5/-, a patient is getting to consult a Doctor who has empathy and patience to hear the sick person and a medical system that offers genuine medicines as per the prescription at no extra cost. This was unbelievable, and it manifested a people-friendly, robust health care system, among the many other unique characteristics of Keralam.
Sheeba started recovering from the next day onwards.