From February 1, the front-line workers of government departments other than health, such as police, local administration and revenue, as well as mediapersons, will receive the COVID-19 vaccines, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said on Friday.
“A total of 1.55 lakh persons of the Police Department, 1.07 lakh persons of the Department of Local Administration and 1.20 lakh persons of the Department of Revenue have registered themselves for the vaccination,” he told reporters. He requested the frontline workers of the Health Department to come forward to get vaccinated by then. The Department had already registered six lakh frontline workers and started vaccination on January 16.
Dr. Vijayabaskar said the State has so far received 12,34,920 doses of Covishield and Covaxin. So far, nearly 97,000 persons had been vaccinated.
“While we are empanelling big private hospitals, doctors, nurses, paramedical workers and frontline workers of small hospitals can take the vaccines from the regional vaccine centres. We have decided to empanel nearly 200 small private hospitals,” he said.
The Chief Minister held a meeting with the Collectors and medical experts on Friday. “All have appreciated Tamil Nadu for having done very well in controlling COVID-19 at the global level. WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan appreciated Tamil Nadu’s excellent work... Countries in Europe are facing the next wave of infections and are under lockdown. Tamil Nadu is recording nearly 500 cases a day, and we have reduced the rate of mortality to a great extent,” he said.
He said the State was at the forefront of COVID-19 control and improving medical infrastructure in the country.
The Minister said the government would consider the demand of Rajah Muthiah Medical College students for fixing the government fees for them.
The demand of nurses appointed through the Medical Services Recruitment Board for regularisation of their services would also be considered. About 1,100 posts, including those of nurses, were available at the 11 new government medical colleges.
So far, 792 mini-clinics were opened. The Health Department had created 6,000 new posts for doctors, nurses and workers. A total of 2,000 doctors with a salary of ₹60,000 would be appointed through district health societies, besides 2,000 nurses and 2,000 workers, he said. “All 2,000 clinics will be opened by February-end,” he said.
Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan and Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine T. S. Selvavinayagam were present.
