‘Madurai GRH best in implementing Innuyir Kappom’

MADURAI: The Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai stands out as Tamil Nadu’s best healthcare facility catering to the needy under the ‘Innuyir Kappom –Nammai Kakkum 48’ scheme, said Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian in Madurai on Tuesday.

Since its launch in December 2021 across 680 hospitals, 96,807 victims, who were injured in accidents, have been treated. Of this total number, GRH alone had treated 3,185 patients, some of them with head injuries. Further, the GRH would soon be declared the centre of excellence for medical care, the Minister said after inspecting the screening arrangements for monkeypox at the airport in Madurai.

Over the last seven to eight months, medical expenses to the tune of Rs 87,34, 44,609 have been incurred under the scheme to provide lifesaving treatments.

Talking to reporters, the Health Minister said there’s no case of monkeypox reported so far in the state. As per the directive of Chief Minister MK Stalin, air passengers arriving from foreign countries were being screened at various airports, including Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tiruchy for monkeypox. Around 300 to 400 foreign passengers arrive every day at the Madurai airport, which handles flights from three international destinations.

As per ICMR guidelines, all international travellers need to be checked for fever and among them, random RT PCR would be done for two per cent. The Minister also inaugurated three health sub-centres each at a cost of Rs 25 lakh at Perungamanallur, Uthapuram, Mallapuram and E Kottaipatti villages in Madurai district. The bone bank, which remains in existence since December last in the GRH, is functioning well and seven patients have been benefited so far.

Further, the Minister said the state government would upgrade government hospitals in Usilampatti, Tirumangalam and Samayanallur at a cost of Rs 110.48 crore.

To a query on the much awaited AIIMS Hospital project in Madurai, he said it would take six or seven months for construction works to begin.