Former Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, S. Elango, died on Saturday after a brief illness. He was 66.
In a career spanning over 30 years, Dr. Elango held various posts in the health department including deputy director of health services, faculty member of Department of Community Medicine, joint director and additional director of public health. He served as the Director of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine from 2008 to 2010.
After retiring from service in 2010, he worked in the departments of community medicine in private medical colleges. A resident of Dindigul, Dr. Elango was also the president of the Tamil Nadu chapter of Indian Public Health Association.
As the DPH, he had taken up a number of initiatives for tobacco control in the State. Among his many strategies for control of vector-borne diseases such as chikungunya was that of roping in students as “health ambassadors”.
K. Kolandaswamy, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, recalled that it was during the tenure of Dr. Elango that an initiative to issue birth certificates at the institution for babies born in primary health centres took off. “It was in line with this government order that we extended the same scheme to all government hospitals. This was a people-friendly initiative introduced during his tenure,” he added.
P. Kuganantham, former city health officer, Chennai Corporation said Dr. Elango handled the 2009 outbreak of H1N1 influeza very well, and is known for his “unbiased” and “bold” expert opinions during public health emergencies.
The last rites will be held at Palayamkottai near Sempatti, Dindigul, on Sunday.
