Health minister Ma. Subramanian on Thursday inaugurated a health sub-centre (HSC) at Kurumbapalayam and launched a mobile screening unit for tuberculosis (TB) under the ‘TB free Tamil Nadu – 2025’ initiative.
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The new HSC built at ₹27 lakh with the support of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds will serve people of Kurumbapalayam and nearby localities in the Madukkarai block.
According to the Minister, the mobile TB screening van is one of the 23 vans installed with digital X-ray machines at a total cost of ₹10.65 crore which Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched last week. The facility would help fight TB in a big way, he said.
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Mr. Subramanian told mediapersons the government would ensure installation of surveillance cameras at all government hospitals, especially Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) centres and neonatal wards, in the wake of the theft of a newborn from the District Headquarters Hospital, Pollachi.
With regard to the COVID-19 situation in the State, Mr. Subramanian said the current surge in cases could not be considered the fourth wave of the pandemic. There was no plan to impose restrictions as such measures could be taken only if 40 % or more of the total active cases in an area required hospitalisation. “At present, 95% of the patients are in home isolation and only 5% of patients are in hospitals,” he said.
Stating that the Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 were considered to be the super spreaders, he urged the public to be cautious and strictly follow control measures. Co-morbidity was the reason behind the two recent COVID-19-related deaths in the State.
The Minister added the State government would continue to press its demand for an AIIMS in Coimbatore.
He also took part in the graduation day ceremony at the Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, Coimbatore, on Thursday. Collector G.S. Sameeran, Director of Public Health T.S. Selvavinayagam, and other senior officials were present.