Mega health camps planned in 50 locations in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts, says T.N. Health Minister

Mega health camp planned in Tirunelveli & Thootukudi districts with private hospitals' participation on Dec 24. 95,127 people already benefited.

A mega health camp for the benefit of people in Tirunelveli and Thootukudi districts has been planned for Sunday (December 24) in about 50 locations with participation from private hospitals from Madurai and other cities, said State Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian here on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters, he said the health camp would be open to public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Already, 190 mobile camps were functioning in the four southern districts covering habitations that were inundated due to rain. Since December 17, 95,127 people benefited through 2,882 camps and the mega camp with private hospitals’ participation would be conducted in the two districts.

Since the rain stopped in the four southern districts, senior officials and doctors from various government hospitals had been roped in and mobile camps were being organised. In many pockets such as Eral and Srivaikuntam in Thootukudi district, the doctors and para-medical teams treated people in pockets that were inaccessible. Along with Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, DME J. Sangumani, DPH T.S. Selvavinayagam and others had been camping there.

Due to this, normal functioning had been swiftly restored in Kanniyakumari and Tenkasi districts. About 70% of the facilities in Tirunelveli Government Hospital and in Government Medical College Hospital and in PHCs were being restored, while it might take more time for restoring normalcy in Thoothukudi GHs and the Medical College and Hospital, he said.

Asked about the extent of damages caused to infrastructural facilities in Government Hospitals and Primary Health Centres, among other medical facilities, he said survey had begun with engineers from PWD being present.

The rainwater stood at 6-7 feet in Thoothukudi GH and patients, equipment/gadgets and the kitchen were moved to the upper floors of the hospital from the ground floor. A team comprising Dr. Sangumani made alternative electricity arrangements for in-patients by using generator with the support from IOCL as power lines were switched off.

Similarly, the presence of mind of many doctors helped in pumping out rainwater from Tirunelveli GH that it saved the gadgets from getting damaged. The damage to the cath-lab in Thoothukudi had to be ascertained with technocrats, and restoring normalcy might take a long time.