Date:25/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/25/stories/2008052559240800.htm

Tamil Nadu

Ensure no life is lost: Karunanidhi

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi made an impassioned plea on Saturday to health department officials to ensure no life was lost for want of medicine or doctors adding that he would consider any such death a great shame.

According to an official press release, the Chief Minister, at a review meeting of the department, advised officials to take steps to set up 24-hour health care units at the district and taluk levels. These units should be geared up to meet any emergency, including surgeries and trauma care, he said.

MRI scan machines

He also instructed officials to ensure that every district hospital in the State is equipped with MRI scan machines and that doctors are trained in hospital administration.

Discussions also focused on upgrading of the Salem Mohan Kumaramangalam College and Hospital and the Madurai Rajaji Government Medical College and Hospital to AIIMS-like institutions. Mr.Karunanidhi asked officials to expedite the process of upgradation.

In addition, the new buildings sanctioned for every government hospital must be built within the specified time in order to allow patients full use of these facilities as soon as possible, he added.

Referring to the recent vaccine deaths that occurred in Tiruvallur, he remarked that the new method to bring children to the health centres for vaccination is working well; doctors should take utmost care and ensure safe vaccination for all children.

The Chief Minister, while appreciating the fact that the HIV epidemic has been stabilised in Tamil Nadu, urged officials to ensure that the prevalence rate further drops in the State.

Again he appreciated the increased rate of deliveries in 1,000 24-hour primary health centres over the past year and instructed officials to upgrade the remaining 421 PHCs to provide round-the-clock care.

Mr.Karunanidhi was informed that a total of 4,665 doctors and 13,247 other personnel had been appointed to fill up vacancies in government hospitals. He told officers that the remaining vacancies (565 doctors and 2,000 other health workers) must be filled up immediately.

A total of 200 children had been operated on for heart-related ailments, thanks to a tie-up between the government and private hospitals. Each child had been allotted Rs.70,000 for the surgery. More such poor children should benefit from the scheme, he said.

Also, a sum of Rs. 400 crore had been disbursed as part of the Dr.Muthulakshmi Reddy Marriage Assistance scheme to several lakhs of women.