12.5k O2 beds getting ready, Remdesivir supply in 5 dists

The Minister was inspecting the COVID-19 oxygen bed facilities being readied at Stanley Medical College and Hospital, wherein 250 oxygen beds are being added. 

“The doctors have requested 25,000 oxygen beds. The remaining beds will also be added to the facility soon,” said the minister. 

He said the government hospitals have been advised to fast track admissions as per requirements based on their oxygen levels. “The beds are being provided after triage management of the patients, mostly within an hour of arrival of the patient,” he said. 

He said Remdesivir will be sold in five districts, including Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem, Tiruchy and Tirunelveli. “Patients from all over the State were queueing up at Kilpauk GH for the medicine,” he noted. 

Adding to the announcement made by Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday, he said the CM’s Health Insurance Scheme will cover the COVID-19 treatment cost in private hospitals. 

In another announcement, the Health Minister said a COVID-19 war room will be set up apart from a Siddha Centre, while a mobile application will be launched to track the availability of beds for COVID-19 in the State. 

The Unified Command Centre (UCC) shall be designated as the COVID War Room that will act as the single nodal point and command centre for managing bed availability for both government and private hospitals, especially for critically ill patients who require oxygen. 

The war room will also analyse, assess and forecast State-specific data on the COVID-19 crisis and communicate accurate information to the government promptly for data-driven decision making.