THOOTHUKUDI: Leaders of several political parties, including the DMK's allies, have urged the state government to retain the under construction hospital building on the Thoothukudi medical college premises as a multi-speciality institution and not convert it a maternity and child care centre.
With construction of the Rs 136 crore, 680-bed, 7-floor hospital nearing completion, the Health and Family Welfare department issued an order October 23, 2025, stating that it would be used a super speciality hospital for maternity and child care. Official sources, however, said the multi-speciality hospital has been reduced to super speciality hospital allegedly due to shortage of specialist doctors.
Speaking to TNIE, BJP south district president Chitrangathan said multi-speciality government hospitals were the need of the hour as people have to travel to Tirunelveli and Madurai, especially for treatment for cancer, heart disease, and dialysis.
"The Tirunelveli government hospital is overloaded with cases from the surrounding districts, and the patients have to wait days to get treatment", he said.
Because of such difficulties, many prefer private hospitals, he said and added that corporate hospitals conduct special camps to identify the patients of serious illness. A multi speciality hospital in Thoothukudi will be helpful to people, he added.
District secretary of CPM KP Arumugam said the state government should provide multi-speciality care in Thoothukudi. CPM town secretary MS Muthu said the state government must scrap the G.O converting the facility into super speciality hospital, and provide all facilities of multi-speciality hospital.
AIADMK floor leader in the Thoothukudi Corporation Manthiramoorthy flagged the issue during the during the monthly council meeting.
"Funds were sanctioned to construct a multi-speciality hospital under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) with the state and central contribution. However, the facility is being renamed after the construction works are completed. The health department is wasting the funds allotted", he said.
Perhaps due to pressures from the private hospitals, the ruling government had reduced multi speciality hospitals to super speciality hospital, C Manthiramoorthy said.
When contacted, the Director of Medical Education and Research Dr R Suganthy did not reply. The Thoothukudi medical college hospital Dean Dr Sivakumar also refused to comment.