In the aftermath of torrential rain and flooding in the districts of Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanyakumari, and Tuticorin from the night of December 16, a total of 315 health facilities bore the brunt of the calamity.
Health Minister Ma Subramanian, addressing reporters in Tirunelveli on Saturday, said that the majority of these facilities have now been restored, and the public works department has been assigned the task of estimating the required repairs.
Among the affected health facilities, 64 primary healthcare centres in the four districts suffered damage, ranging from collapsed rooms and walls to flooded pharmacies.
In Tirunelveli district alone, 261 sub-centres were impacted. Despite Tuticorin Medical College Hospital facing adversity, prompt action by health officials helped save lives. Although Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital sustained relatively minor damage, the cath lab requires assessment to determine if replacement or repair is necessary.
In response to a suggestion by speaker M Appavu, the flooring of MCH will change. Additional preventive measures include the construction of three large wells on Tuticorin Medical College premises to absorb excess water.
The health department is also coordinating health camps in 50 locations in Tuticorin districts, involving 18 corporate hospitals such as Meenakshi Mission, Ashirvatham, Aristo, Velammal, Devadas, and Apollo Hospitals. The initiative may extend to Tirunelveli district if needed, the minister said.
Between December 17 and 23, the health department conducted screenings for 95,214 people in 2,682 medical camps across the flood-affected districts. Out of these, 864 were treated for fever, while 2,565 received treatment for cough and cold.
In response to Chief Minister MK Stalin's advice, mobile medical teams were deployed on vehicles, with 93 in Tuticorin district, 31 in Tirunelveli, 36 in Kanyakumari, and 30 in Tenkasi district. In total, there are currently 190 mobile medical vehicles in operation, as stated by the minister.
The event, attended by M Appavu, health secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, and other officials, included an inspection of health facilities in various locations in Tirunelveli district on Saturday.
