CHENNAI: With the inauguration of new facilities, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has revived the production of anti-venom serum for snake bite at the King’s Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research at Guindy, stopped since 2000. The centre, built at a cost of Rs 16.72 crore, also has separate sections for quality control and blood analysis.
She inaugurated the facility through video conferencing at the Secretariat on August 5. The Chief Minister also inaugurated 14 primary health centres, buildings for maternity wards, residential quarters for doctors etc., constructed at a total cost of Rs 70.69 crore.
Another facility inaugurated on the occasion was Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT CT) equipment installed at a cost of Rs 4.80 crore at the Multi Super Speciality Hospital at Omandurar Government Estate. With SPECT CT, the changes in the body due to cancer and other diseases which affect internal organs including the brain could be diagnosed in advance and higher treatment could be given to the patient.
The new PHCs are located at Chettipalayam, Anaikatti and Somaiyampalayam in Coimbatore, Arampoondi in Villupuram, Solakkadu in Namakkal, Aravenu and Theppakkadu in the Nilgiris, Poomparai in Dindigul, Ayyampalayam in Karur, Kumananthozhu in Theni, Athurkuppam Veeradipatti in Pudukottai, Thiruvenkadam in Tirunelveli and Velliraveli in Tirupur.
CT Scan equipment installed at a cost of Rs 2 crore at Ariyalur District Headquarters Hospital, 10 upgraded PHCs, new buildings for 16 PHCs, maternity wards for seven PHCs and residential quarters for nine PHCs etc., were also inaugurated.
Residential quarters for doctors at Chengalpattu Medical College, built at a cost of Rs 6.89 crore, new units for burns, anti-venom, modern laundry, kitchen, yoga and naturopathy section, communicable diseases section, etc., established at a total cost of Rs 21.57 crore, were also inaugurated.