TIRUNELVELI: Health Minister Ma Subramanian along with TN Assembly Speaker M Appavu inspected medical facilities at the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TVMCH) on Saturday. Assessing the measures to be taken to prevent further inundation in heavy rain, the minister said rescue operations were carried out in the rain-hit districts of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari, as per the directions of the chief minister, and added that normalcy has returned in several places.
The minister said that he carried out inspections at ongoing medical camps in the hospitals at Thoothukudi municipal corporation area, Kuthenkuzhi, Subramaniapuram, Nattathi, Mangalakurichi, Srivaikundam, Alwarthirunagari, Eral, Kayalpattinam, Athoor, among others. "As many as 95,124 people benefited in 2,682 medical camps held from December 17. Of them, 864 received treatment for fever, and 2,565 for cough and cold," he noted.
Subramanian added that the chief minister had instructed to continue holding mobile medical camps, including 93 in Thoothukudi, 31 in Tirunelveli, 36 in Kanniyakumari and 30 in Tenkasi districts. "On Sunday, mega medical camps will be held at 50 places including Thoothukudi, Srivaikundam, Alwarthirunagari, Kayalpattinam, Tiruchendur, Karungulam, Udankudi, Sathankulam among others, in coordination with 14 private hospitals," he said.
Further, he said around 64 primary health centres, 261 sub health centres and 315 medical infrastructure facilities were affected due to rains in the four southern districts, and the PWD has been instructed to prepare a project estimate for renovation. Following the inspection, the minister and speaker visited camps at Manakavalampillai Nager in Palayamkottai and handed over relief assistance to people. They were accompanied by Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Tirunelveli Collector KP Karthikeyan and others.