TN health system derails in DMK regime, says EPS

CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami denounced the DMK government for allegedly not supplying adequate drugs to the government hospitals.

He also charged that the present regime’s flagship programme Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) was derailed as all the medicines were not delivered to the patients covered under the programme properly.

He also wondered about the delay in appointing the Director of Medical Education (DME) despite having qualified and experienced doctors in the State and demanded Chief Minister M K Stalin and Health Minister Ma Subramanian to act swiftly and address the issues.

The State Health Department has been in shambles in the DMK’s 30 months of regime.

The TNMSC, which was established in 1994, procured all drugs and supplied the same as the government hospitals across the state. It was functioning effectively until the AIADMK was in power. However, it was hit as the present government had reduced the purchase of drugs directly and permitted local purchase of medicine to government hospitals. It severely affected the system and put the people in distress, said EPS in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Pointing out the non-availability of doctors in PHC in Parambur in Pudukkottai district when former Health Minister and MLA C Vijayabaskar conducted an inspection a couple of days ago, Palaniswami said the former minister, who was a doctor, extended first aid and shifted an accident victim to a GH.

The accident victim was waiting at the PHC for a long time.

A similar incident occurred in Chennai when the Chennai Corporation Commissioner took his assistant for treatment to 24x7 health care in Chennai, said Palaniswami and alluded that these incidents shed light on the deteriorating health care system.