Special centres for violence-hit women in all MCHs: Minister

Addressing the annual conference of Indian Medico Legal and Ethics Association at Dr MGR Medical University, he said, “The facility would be established by the State Health Department, in coordination with other associated departments.”

An initiative of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, a ‘OSC’ is presently functioning on a trial basis at the Institute of Child Health and Women’s Hospital. It offers immediate emergency care to women affected by violence, besides rendering them medical, medico-legal and psychological counselling support under one roof.

Vijayabaskar also said that medical colleges and government hospitals in TN are equipped with special kits for collecting samples to carry out immediate medico-legal investigation and aid in furnishing evidence in cases of sexual assault.

Lauding the conference, he said the event would help to create awareness on handling medico-legal cases, documentation of these cases and offer treatment to the victims of violence who seek treatment in government hospitals.

No water scarcity atgovernment hospitals

Even as people in various parts of the State struggle with water shortage, the Health Minister assured that an adequate quantity of water would be supplied to government hospitals for both drinking and sanitation purposes.

Talking to newspersons on the sidelines of the conference, Vijayabaskar said that the Directorate of Public Health, Directorate of Medical Services and Directorate of Medical Education have been instructed to ensure that the government hospitals and medical colleges have enough water.

“Though water scarcity is an issue in the State every summer, the government hospital authorities are prepared to handle any such crisis. Currently, water is available for drinking and sanitation purposes in all government hospitals,” he said.