The State government, which is grappling with a shortage of vaccines, is actively exploring possibilities of starting production from the Integrated Vaccine Complex in Chengalpattu by clearing procedural and legal hurdles, if any, Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian said.
After inspecting various places in the district on Wednesday to ascertain anti-COVID-19 operations, Mr. Subramanian said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, after inspecting the complex in Chengalpattu recently to explore the possibility of starting vaccine production there, had written to the Prime Minister, seeking his intervention to put into use the unused installation on over 100 acres.
The Chief Minister was studying the procedural and legal hurdles, if any, to be cleared for ensuring early vaccine production from the facility, he said. If the Centre gives its nod, it will be a giant leap in the production of COVID-19 vaccines, particularly for Tamil Nadu, he said.
He said vaccination, the focal point in the fight against COVID-19, should go up further, particularly in the rural areas, to make the ongoing exercise more effective and meaningful. Hence, the State Government was recruiting 2,100 doctors, 6,000 nurses and 3,700 technical staff to strengthen vaccination and COVID-19 treatment in rural areas more effective.
On the ongoing vaccination drive, Mr. Subramanian said 2.53 lakh people, including 2,800 in Tirunelveli, had taken the jabs on May 25 alone, even as the coverage across Tamil Nadu stood at 75 lakh. The vaccination of people between 18 and 44 years would boost this number further, he added. Once the global tender floated by the Tamil Nadu Government for vaccine procurement was finalized on June 6, there would be no need for wait for vaccines to be received from the Union Government.
He informed that 756 mucormycosis cases across Tamil Nadu had been reported so far and the medicines for 600 cases had been received from the Centre while injection for the remaining 156 cases would arrive shortly.
When the Minister was informed that some of the private hospitals were not including the COVID-19 treatment under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Medical Insurance Scheme, Mr. Subramanian said the Tamil Nadu Government had already issued an Order in this connection. Moreover, the State Government had also fixed the per day medical treatment fee for COVID-19 cases to save them from being fleeced.
“In Tirunelveli, the Collector has made arrangements for displaying a board in front of the 12 designated hospitals treating the COVID-19 patients about the documents to be submitted for availing the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Medical Insurance Scheme benefits and the per day fee fixed by the State Government, which is a welcome move,” Mr. Subramanian lauded adding that there was no need for wait in queue for getting admitted in the designated private hospitals, which should admit the COVID-19 patients on arrival.
He also said the intensified lockdown, a bitter medicine, would yield better results in stopping the spread.
Even as a review meeting was going on, Mr. Subramanian interacted with the COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment in Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital through videoconferencing.
The Minister conducted similar inspection and review meeting in Tenkasi district with Collector G.S. Sameeran and other senior officials.
