Arrangements have been made for food and accommodation of staff nurses and doctors at the Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital as per the guidelines issued by the Health Secretary and the Commissioner of Food Safety. Local hotels have been roped in to facilitate these services.
R. Ramesh Babu, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Drug Administration, Tiruchi, said that the Tiruchi District Hotels Association was contacted and arrangements were made to prepare food for healthcare workers so that 330 people were being fed at the K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College, 150 at the Tiruchi Government Hospital. People were being provided with food at hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres in rural parts.
With the permission of Collector S. Divyadharshini, the hotels are allowed to remain open to prepare these meals and accommodate healthcare workers in their rooms. The funds for the purpose comes through the Directorate of Medical Education.
A senior nursing staff at the Tiruchi MGMGH said that several nurses showed a willingness to stay in these facilities while on duty. ‘They have young children or old parents and do not want to go home; this facility is very helpful to them,’ they said. The food prepared with the help of the Food Safety Department is given on priority to sanitary workers and security staff at the hospital, she added.
