The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : A boost to health infrastructure

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Tuesday, Jul 01, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

A boost to health infrastructure

Ramya Kannan

A reconstruction project executed after tsunami has helped to repair damaged buildings

CHENNAI: Post-tsunami, Tamil Nadu’s health infrastructure has received a tremendous fillip, especially in the tsunami-hit districts.

Extensive damage was caused to the buildings and equipment in the worst-hit districts of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari. The damage to the district headquarters hospitals, sub-centres, primary health centres and taluk hospitals in Ramanathapuram, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Tiruvarur, Tuticorin, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts were lower, but still were begging attention.

This was when the Emergency Tsunami Reconstruction Project (ETRP), implemented by the State government with the World Bank’s assistance, was mandated to restore the infrastructure. “As part of the build back better agenda, some of these districts now have better health infrastructure than they ever had in the past,” says C.V. Shankar, Officer on Special Duty (Relief and Rehabilitation) and Project Director, ETRP.

With 71 badly damaged institutions identified by the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project, the ETRP started repairing and renovating old buildings and constructing additional buildings for the health units, including 21 hospitals, 45 sub-centres and six primary health centres. The Public Works Department (building), which was charged with the tasks, has completed the work on 14 of the 21 hospitals, all the sub-centres and five out of six primary health centres.

According to officials, Rs.22.46 core was allotted by the ETRP for repair and reconstruction, and Rs.17.19 core has already been spent.

A unique model that evolved out of Teri’s involvement with the health sector was a robust public-private partnership, with NGOs and corporates pitching in with the government. For instance, in Nagapattinam, Shanti Mohan Trust, an NGO, built a new building for the hospital at a cost of Rs.4.5 crore. The government sanctioned Rs.12 lakh for other facilities, and ETRP has spent Rs.4.27 crore on a new building.

Besides the improvements to infrastructure itself, a substantial sum has been sanctioned for purchase of equipment, furniture and machinery. A little over Rs.10.65 lakh has been handed over to the Directorate of Health and Preventive Medicine.

“Health infrastructure has had a great boost in these districts. Also, with money coming in from ETRP for chloroscope kits, drugs, surgical equipment and patient amenities, we have been able to equip each hospital with the best. They have even paid for the cost of transporting the kits and equipment,” says S. Elango, Director of Public Health.

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