'Whistleblower' Dr Haris Chirakkal, head of the Urology Department at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital, on Sunday urged society to take responsibility for the ongoing Amoebic brain fever outbreak, stressing that large-scale research is unnecessary if proper waste disposal is maintained.

In a Facebook post, Dr Chirakkal said that around 140 people have been affected by the disease, resulting in 26 deaths. He noted that neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have not reported any similar cases.

“There is no need for extensive research to find the cause. It is simply due to improper waste disposal,” he wrote.

Waste management at the heart of the problem

Dr Chirakkal highlighted decades of environmental neglect as the root cause, pointing to slaughterhouse waste, hostel refuse, and untreated septic tank discharge contaminating ponds and rivers. He warned that diseases such as leptospirosis, dengue fever, and stray dog menace are the “returns of filth.”

“The entire community is responsible for addressing this,” he emphasised, urging citizens to maintain cleanliness to prevent further outbreaks.

The doctor also referred to a recent incident in Thamarassery, where a doctor was attacked following the death of a child, warning that violence does not solve public health problems.

Dr Chirakkal: The whistleblower 

Dr Chirakkal first came into the public eye as a whistleblower after venting his frustration on Facebook over alleged shortcomings in Kerala’s public healthcare system. He highlighted how shortages of medical equipment often force patients to buy their own. His post drew widespread attention and prompted Kerala’s health department to step in and address the issue.