NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JUN 8
Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday warned of ‘strict police action’ against individuals who indulge in attack against doctors, nurses if a COVID-19 patient succumbed to the virus at a hospital.
He noted that doctors, nurses and the government were working on a ‘war-footing’ to save the lives of people amid the COVID-19 pandemic and said even doctors tried their best to save a life even at critical moments.
Briefing reporters after identifying land for setting up a multi-specialty hospital at the King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research campus here, he said it has come to the notice of the government that relatives and some individuals of a patient who died due to COVID-19 attacked doctors, nurses and the staff of a hospital.
‘Though the doctors take all possible measures to save the life, sometimes it is not possible to avoid deaths. In such a scenario attacking doctors and nurses will be a disgrace to the service they render particularly in this COVID-19 situation,’ the minister said.
‘Such incidents have taken place in Tamil Nadu and the government will not allow it to happen at any cost. Strict police action will be taken against those individuals who indulge in such acts,’ he warned.
Slams private hospitals for excessive fees
Subramanian also slammed ‘some’ private hospitals for collecting excessive fee for treating COVID-19 patients and said the government had taken action against 40 such healthcare service providers recently.
Considering the services of the doctors and nurses during this pandemic situation, ‘some’ private hospitals use the COVID-19 pandemic to collect excess fee from patients for treatment, he said.
‘The government will not hesitate to take action against such hospitals. Already, we have initiated action against 40 such hospitals. The licenses of the hospitals will be cancelled under the Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishment Act,’ he warned.
12.6 acre land identified for multi-specialty hospital near King Institute
தற்போது மாண்புமிகு தமிழக முதலமைச்சர் அவர்களின் அறிவிப்பான 250 கோடி செலவில் அமையவிருக்கும் king institute பன்னோக்கு மருத்துவமனைக்கு இடத்தை தேர்வுசெய்யும் பணி மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டது … pic.twitter.com/7xebJcJa97
— Subramanian.Ma (@Subramanian_ma) June 8, 2021
Earlier in the day, Subramanian along with senior government officials including Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan visited the King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research and said 12.6 acres of land has been identified for setting up the proposed multi-specialty hospital in its campus at a cost of Rs 250 crore.
‘We identified the land for the multi-specialty hospital. It measures about 12.6 acres and is located adjacent to the existing structure. Once it becomes operational it will also facilitate the King Institute. Chief Minister (M K Stalin) will formally announce the project plan…,’ he said.
Covid vaccination
On the vaccination details, he said till date 1.16 crore doses have been received from the Centre and 97 lakh people were vaccinated so far.
‘We are expecting an additional 42 lakh doses to be distributed to the state and today the Centre has shared the schedule of doses that will be arriving to the state. We are expecting to receive some more doses from June 9,’ he said.
To a query on whether the government would re-float the global tender to procure vaccines since there were no bidders in the past, he said such a situation (to refloat a tender) has not arisen in the wake of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the Centre’s decision to procure 75 per cent of the vaccines produced in the country and provide them to the states ‘free of cost’.
‘Already, the chief minister has extended his gratitude to the Prime Minister’s announcement. Since we will be receiving more doses from June 21, there is no question of floating the tenders once again,’ he said.
Stalin on Monday appreciated Modi for reversing the Centre’s position on COVID-19 vaccines.
I welcome the @PMOIndia's statement indicating that the Union Government will procure 75% of the vaccines produced in the country and provide them to the states free of cost. I also appreciate the Prime Minister for reversing his government's previous position.
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) June 7, 2021
‘I welcome the @PMOIndia’s statement indicating that the Union Government will procure 75 per cent of the vaccines produced in the country and provide them to the states free of cost. I also appreciate the Prime Minister for reversing his government’s previous position’, Stalin had said in a tweet.
The Tamil Nadu government on May 15 floated a global tender to procure 3.5 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines to administer to those in the 18 to 44 years age group.
Since it did not elicit any bidder, the government had planned for re-floating the tender.
