Efforts on to start six more medical colleges in State

Tiruchirapalli, the State government has written to the Centre for sanction of six more medical colleges including one at Perambalur, said J. Radhakrishnan, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, on Sunday.

Talking to reporters after inspecting Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, he said the State government was working on achieving the target of establishing medical colleges in all districts. Out of 38 districts, 32 had government medical colleges. Proposals had been sent to the Centre for sanction to establish new medical colleges in six uncovered districts.

On the status of Perambalur medical college, which was yet to take shape even 10 years after the announcement, Dr Radhakrishnan said Perambalur, Ranipet and Mayiladuthurai were among the six districts where the medical colleges had been proposed. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Health Minister Ma. Subramanian had discussed the need for establishing the six medical colleges with the Centre.

Asked about late arrival of doctors in some government hospitals, the Health Secretary said the Health and Family Welfare Department had undertaken steps to introduce biometric attendance in all government hospitals as per a court direction. There were practical difficulties in implementing the scheme in some places due to emergency and special duty of doctors for conducting surgeries. However, steps on introducing a biometric attendance system would be expedited.. Action would be taken against those violating the reporting time.

Dr Radhakrishnan said the State had not registered any case of monkeypox so far. It was a self-limiting disease and the consequences would not be severe as chickenpox. Hence, there was no need to worry. The spread of Covid-19 was under control except for a few clusters in the State. The State had registered no Covid-19 deaths since March 17. However, there was no room for complacency. The Collectors had been asked to take steps to ensure adherence to Covid-19 protocols. The Hindu