THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As its move to conduct a health survey in the state with the assistance of a foreign firm kicked up a row, the government has decided to entrust it with the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), here.
The Canadian firm’s involvement in the epidemiological survey was exposed by Express through a report on December 13.
“The government has decided to hand over the survey to the Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology,” health secretary Rajeev Sadanandan said. The Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies (AMCHSS), the health sciences wing of SCTIMST, will conduct the survey.
The Achutha Menon Centre will be involved in data collection and analysis.
“The procedures for signing a MoU between the SCTIMST and the government has started,” AMCHSS head Dr Thankappan K R said. “The Centre will extend the technical support. The Health Department staff will be equipped for data collection. We will also help in data analysis,” he said.
Express had reported that the LDF Government was all set to revive the health survey which was stalled by the Left parties in 2012. The Left parties had alleged that the survey was a clandestine attempt to help a Canadian firm to get details about lifestyle and health of the people in the state.
Many had raised questions on why the Left Government had come up with the same survey involving the same private players -- Health Action by People (HAP) and Population Health Research Institute (PHRI), a joint institute of Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University, Canada. This apart, the private players have also been made stakeholders of the survey by giving all powers.
Though the government had claimed that the data will be stored in the State Data Centre and the criteria for its availability will be decided, doubts had been raised about possibilities of manipulation.
As per the earlier understanding, the health secretary or the Core group, which is the stake holders, will be authorised to give permission for data availability.
Apart from the DHS and DME, the other stake holders were PHRI and Health Action By people, an NGO. Moreover, the involvement of PHRI executive director Dr Salim Yusuf in the project from the beginning was also controversial.
The Population Health Research Institute’s involvement in the analysis part of survey was also been questioned by many. The government had then said a specific technique was needed for analysing the data, which would be provided by PHRI. It was alleged that the government had ignored the fact that the team that analyse the data would have full access to it.
SCTIMST gets Rs 230-cr for infrastructure development
T’Puram: Sree Chitra Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) has been sanctioned I 230 crore of Central funds for building a super specialty block under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna. While I 120 crore has been sanctioned by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, the remaining amount has been allocated by the Department of Science and Technology. With the funding, SCTIMST will be able to add 170 additional beds, construct new intensive care units, super specialty pay wards, general super specialty wards, new out- patient clinics, cath labs and emergency wing. With these facilities coming into existence, around 923 posts will also be created, a press note from SCTIMST said. SCTIMST had begun efforts to develop its infrastructure facilities five years ago. In 2011-12, the State Government handed over 83 cents of land. Though the foundation stone for the new block was laid in 2012-13, the work could not be taken forward.