Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan on Tuesday said the State government should ensure that adequate doctors and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits are available at primary health centres (PHCs) to arrest the spread of COVID-19 in the rural areas.
In a statement, Mr. Haasan said the government machinery had only focused on building infrastructure in the cities and had overlooked the needs of the villages. “Open drains, garbage-filled PHC compounds and a lack of manpower and protective equipment are common in rural areas. The government has not prioritised rural health but has only focused on health infrastructure in cities,” said Mr. Haasan.
While the lockdown in cities would only affect their economies, in villages, it would create a shortage of food, he said, and called upon the government to make efforts to create awareness about the disease in rural areas and allay the fears of villagers.
