SALEM: Former Chief Minister and leader of opposition in the Tamil Nadu State Assembly Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday urged the state government to increase oxygen beds and find ways to bring down Covid deaths.
Palaniswami made the statement after he visited the Salem Collectorate on Tuesday evening along with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) MLAs and meeting the District Collector S Karmegam. They discussed the Covid-19 spread in the district and the measures to control it. Later he went to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital (GMKMCH) and met the hospital dean Valli Sathiyamoorthy and discussed the treatment provided to the patients.
Speaking to media persons, Edappadi K Palaniswami said that it is unfortunate that Tamil Nadu has the most number of daily cases in the country at the moment.
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"The need for oxygen has increased. If we reduce oxygen scarcity, we can control the deaths. The state government must talk with the Union Government and ensure additional amounts of oxygen and supply it to Government and private hospitals. Already I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard. If the present Government follows our steps, they can control the pandemic. While AIADMK was in power, 6,500 people tested positive per day. But now more than 35,000 people are testing positive per day," he added.
He also alleged that only the same number of beds with oxygen support, which were available under the previous AIADMK government, are now available in the district.
"At a time when 800 people are testing positive every day in Salem, the oxygen beds should be increased. The Salem Steel Plant Covid Care Centre should admit patients soon. Treatment should be given to patients immediately who are unable to breathe properly. During the AIADMK regime, 3,500 fever camps were conducted daily across the State. If fever camps are conducted like that they will help control the pandemic. At municipalities and in panchayats, door-to-door checking is a must. The state government must increase swab tests to three lakhs per day and announce the results within 24 hours. Now three days are being taken to provide Covid test results," Palaniswami said.
"As far as we are concerned, our MLAs inspect Government hospitals in their constituencies and give their views to control the pandemic. The State Government should provide Rs 2,000 to unorganised workers as Covid relief fund. The State Government should take steps on a war footing to increase the medical infrastructure to treat the patients," Palaniswami urged.
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