CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has set up a Covid-19 war-room that will monitor the available beds, connecting ambulance services, and oxygen supply availability.
Chief Minister MK Stalin on May 5 had informed the officials to set up a Covid-19 war room.
Medical and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian, who inspected the war-room at the Directorate of Public Health headquarters, said that the war-room will act as a nodal point and command center for managing bed availability for both government and private hospitals, especially for critically ill patients requiring oxygen.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Health Secretary Dr. J Radhakrishnan said that the war room will dynamically monitor the available beds and oxygen and help to connect with patients faster.
“Anybody who contacts 104 or 108 gets no solution, the issue gets escalated to the war room as it monitors, both 104 and 108. It will cut down the waiting period for oxygen and ambulances,” he said.
Radhakrishnan also said that the war room, which has about 30 staff headed by two IAS officers (Dr. Nandakumar and Dr. Uma), will also be monitoring the requirement of oxygen in the future and by how much it is expected to go up.
Minister Subramanian said that on Saturday, the war room rose to a challenge of helping a private hospital with oxygen cylinders and saved lives of at least 20 people.
“Balaji hospital contacted the war-room and informed that there’s no oxygen and there were about 20 patients. Through the war-room, we sent 10 cylinders immediately,” the Minister said.
Similarly, another hospital in Ashok Nagar, Maya Clinic, received 15 cylinders from the war room.
“Here, all the 108 ambulances to are monitored through GPS facility,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister said that the State has paid for 15 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine and is waiting for their arrival.