COIMBATORE: The Department of Public Health is likely to take over the three garden hospitals currently managed by Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation Limited (TANTEA) in Nilgiris and Coimbatore as the latter is facing fund crunch. Highly placed sources in the department said TANTEA officials wrote to the State government requesting to bring the hospitals at Serampadi and Coonoor in Nilgiris and Cinchona (Valparai) in Coimbatore under the ambit of the health department. Each hospital is equipped with a dispensary, pharmacist and ambulances to attend to any emergencies in the plantations.
A senior official told TNIE, "The allocation of funds for maintenance of the hospitals has come down in recent years. As they could not maintain the facilities any longer, they have requested the State government to take control."
Speaking about the current status of these hospitals, the official said the facilities have enough infrastructure and healthcare workers. "The only thing that is needed to be made is to provide salaries to the healthcare workers in the hospitals upon taking over by the health department," the official added. As far as the hospital at Cinchona is concerned, it has 11 medical staff who can easily be brought under the payroll of the health department.
The issue is under consideration by the government and a Government Order on the take over is expected soon, sources added.