The Tamil Nadu government made several announcements in the Assembly on Thursday to boost medical infrastructure in Chennai and neighbouring areas. It also announced steps to strengthen medical research institutions and laboratories in the State capital.
Health Minister Ma. Subramanian announced the construction of new buildings for 13 urban primary health centres in the Greater Chennai Corporation limits. It would taken up on a cumulative investment of ₹9.75 crore, at the rate of ₹75 lakh each. The urban primary health centre at Sanjeevarayanpet in the Royapuram zone would be upgraded as a 100-bed hospital at a cost of ₹8 crore.
Two 30-bed urban community health centres would be established in the Avadi and Vellore Corporations at a total cost of ₹3 crore, each costing ₹1.5 crore, he said. The elevators at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai would be renovated at a cost of ₹7.75 crore.
A Siddha Medical University, announced in the Budget, would be established near Chennai for all Indian systems of medicine, Mr. Subramanian said.
A government-run whole genome sequencing laboratory would be established in the DMS Complex in Chennai at a cost of ₹4 crore. It would help to tackle any spread of contagion by identifying different virus strains circulating in the State, he said.
The Stem Cell Research Centre at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai would be upgraded as the Department of Regenerative Medicine and Research at a cost of ₹2.44 crore.
A frozen red blood cell storage unit would be established at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai at a cost of ₹3.75 crore. A paediatric bone marrow transplant unit would be established at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children at Egmore at a cost of ₹2.56 crore to support children suffering from cancer and bone marrow diseases. A pulmonary rehabilitation centre would be established at the Government Hospital of Thoracic Medicine at Tambaram.
An accident and emergency care unit and a dialysis unit would be opened at the Periyar Nagar Government Hospital at Kolathur at a cost of ₹2.9 crore and ₹75 lakh respectively, Mr. Subramanian said.
