The Greater Chennai Corporation will launch mobile medical units at all construction sites in all the 15 zones.
At least 10,000 construction sites of non high-rise buildings and at least 1,000 sites of high-rise buildings are expected to be covered under this.
As the number of workers had come down at construction sites, the Corporation planned to launch 15 mobile medical units in the first phase.
A few construction sites have reported a spurt in COVID-19 cases, the officials said. “Major construction sites are expected to become hotspots of COVID-19 after the return of workers. The mobile medical units will focus only on construction labourers, estimated at 1.5 lakh in the city,” said an official. The commencement of work made hundreds of labourers engaged at the construction sites susceptible to COVID-19.
The civic body has requested the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) to depute more doctors for the mobile medical units. “We have requested 10 additional doctors. Nurses, technicians and other staff will be recruited on contract by the Corporation. The number of doctors may increase later,” said an official.
Monitoring app
Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash on Friday launched an app for monitoring COVID-19 patients under home isolation.
“At least 50% of patients are under home isolation. The app will facilitate quick response to the request made by residents on home isolation. Over 3,300 focus volunteers will help the residents get essential commodities. For some patients in COVID-19 care centres, we have adopted an integrated approach with the right combination of Indian medicine and advanced medical technology. We will increase the number of COVID-19 care centres. Of the 744 COVID-19 patients, 569 have been cured at care centres, providing Indian medicine with the guidance of qualified doctors,” said Mr. Prakash.
The Corporation has increased fever surveillance using the services of more volunteers. “The doubling period of active cases is 18 days. This is an improvement,” said Mr. Prakash.
Responding to allegations of a few outreach workers who demanded COVID-19 testing, a senior official of the Corporation said the workers had been permitted to use all facilities free of cost. “We will test the workers who have symptoms and quarantine them for 14 days. Treatment will be free of cost,” said an official.
Property tax
About property tax collection, an official said the civic body was aware of hardship faced by residents during the pandemic.
“A decision has not yet been taken by the government,” said the official.
