COIMBATORE: Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said that in two weeks, the government would launch an automated system so that the people in the State could receive Covid-19 test results through SMS.
He was speaking to reporters after chairing a high-level review meeting along with Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani at the collectorate here on Sunday.
Vijayabaskar said that the State government would establish an exclusive Siddha centre in all districts as there is a good reception for Siddha treatment among the Covid-19 patients. "Currently, there are 25 exclusive Siddha centres in the State," he said.
Speaking about the surge in death rate in Tamil Nadu, Vijayabaskar said that only eight out of 80 deaths are caused purely by Covid-19 while the remaining are due to comorbid conditions."
Asked about whether the State government could adhere to the Centre's instruction to rescind the e-pass system, he said it would be a challenging task.
Vijayabaskar said that he had told the members of Indian Medical Association (IMA) who attended the review meeting to direct the private hospitals not to shift Covid-19 patients to government hospitals at the eleventh hour and that notices would be served if any hospital is found to be violating this. "The private hospitals should be well-equipped to treat Covid patients," he added.
Data available with TNIE reveal that 25 patients, referred by private hospitals to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) in the last two months, had succumbed to the infection within two days after being admitted.
CMCH officials said the patients the health condition of most Covid patients who were shifted from private hospitals was critical. "Such cases come under the late referral category, who mostly face the fatality," said an official.
Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan, Collector K Rajamani and other government officials were also present at the review meeting.