Private healthcare institutions roped in

Private healthcare institutions roped in

It’s about time they start pitching in, says Health Secretary

12/05/2020, RAMYA KANNAN,CHENNAI

A Corporation enumerator checking details at Gopalapuram. R. RAGUR_Ragu

In a shift from its policy thus far of authorising select private hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, the State government has now directed all private clinical establishments to provide dedicated fever clinics, following guidelines prescribed by it.

The private sector, which is very robust in Tamil Nadu, has so far played no role or a supportive role, at best, with regard to the COVID-19 crisis. While some hospitals have been authorised to treat COVID-19 patients, most have delivered general health care, preferring to refer patients to government hospitals.

While this has been the protocol so far, the rising numbers have brought on a change of strategy. “We have had complaints of hospitals referring mothers who have just delivered their babies to government hospitals, the moment they find the woman has tested positive. This is being done very hastily, like packing the woman off. It’s about time that private hospitals started pitching in too,” said Beela Rajesh, Health Secretary.

A meeting was held of representatives of private hospitals, and they were told to get their act together and help fight the virus in the State. Officials of the Directorate General of Health Services are to inspect the premises of institutions coming under the Clinical Establishments Act, and ensure that the instructions - with regard to physical distancing, human resources deployment, infection control procedures and quarantine leave period - are followed.

Rules drawn up

As per the guidelines drawn up, all staff of private clinics should be trained in COVID-19 procedures. The hospital should provide an adequate number of taps with running water and soap at the entrance, three-ply masks for all patients and screening with a thermal gun. If a patient is found to have fever, he will have to be diverted to the fever clinic. Hospital functionaries with influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms should be placed under quarantine and this period should be considered paid leave, the rules state.

In addition to the fever clinics, the private hospital must also earmark a separate area for ILI outpatient care, with a separate waiting area for people with respiratory illness. Hospital timings should be so arranged that there is no crowding at any point, and all visitors must be barred. The hospital can arrange for video calls with a patient’s relatives. It is important to ensure, in case a hospital worker tests positive for SARS-CoV-2, that prescribed infection procedures are followed strictly. The standard procedure of rapid isolation, followed by contact listing and tracking and sanitisation must be adhered to. But there is no need to shut down the entire facility, the order states.

Quarantine an ordeal for pregnant women who returned from abroad

Quarantine an ordeal for pregnant women who returned from abroad

Many say the food served triggered vomiting, water was in short supply

12/05/2020, SUNITHA SEKAR,CHENNAI

Passengers who arrived by repatriation flights were given a choice to stay in hotels in Chennai.B. VELANKANNI RAJB_VELANKANNI RAJ

Twenty-nine-year-old Suganya Saravanan, who is pregnant, was relieved when she landed in Chennai from Dubai a few days ago. Little did she realise that she would have to endure harrowing days.

“The hotel where I am quarantined has been providing us with some terrible food. I have been vomiting and having diarrhoea for two days now. I had a miscarriage two years ago and I’m dreading what will happen to the baby if this continues,” she says.

Passengers who returned to Chennai in repatriation flights were given a choice to either stay in quarantine in free accommodation on a private college campus or pay for stay in hotel — one that would cost them ₹1,500 a day located in Periyamet and the other ₹2,500 a day in Guindy. Like Ms. Suganya, pregnant women who opted to stay in the hotel in Periyamet allege that they have been suffering, as the food served to them caused vomiting and diarrhoea.

Shalini Devi Chandrasekhar, 29, six months pregnant, says they were given dosa and khichdi for breakfast, a variety rice for lunch and chapatti and rice for dinner. “Many of us ended up vomiting because the food was poorly cooked, very oily and it barely had any vegetables. The rice was mostly uncooked. We can stay in quarantine, but we need at least cooked and healthy food; I don’t think that is asking for too much. After all, we are paying ₹1,500 a day.

All of us are hungry, because the quantity given is grossly insufficient,” she adds.

Twenty-five-year old S. Saranya says the hotel provides only one litre of water bottle for the whole day.

“After dehydration from vomiting and diarrhoea, we had to beg them for more water. Even when we are ready to pay them, we have to wait for hours. Yesterday, we went to the reception and some of us broke down in desperation; after that, we got an additional bottle,” she adds.

Anitha S., 27, a resident of Salem, who is nine months pregnant, says she has been through one of the most stressful times. “My due date is fast approaching. If something happens at midnight, what will I do? We have no idea whom to contact in case of an emergency. We decided to come back to India because we have help here, but now, I’m terrified what might happen,” she says.

Doctors worry existing manpower will be insufficient to manage load in the coming days

Govt. hospitals in city overwhelmed

Doctors worry existing manpower will be insufficient to manage load in the coming days

12/05/2020, SERENA JOSEPHINE M.,CHENNAI

The Government Taluk Hospital at Poonamallee, which has been closed after one of its staff was infected with COVID-19. B. VELANKANNI RAJB_VELANKANNI RAJ

The surge in COVID-19 cases is stretching hospital resources in Chennai. Flooded with hundreds of patients, government medical college hospitals in the city are overwhelmed and doctors are worried that the existing manpower will be inadequate to manage the rush in the coming days. In fact, many doctors suggest that their counterparts from agencies such as the Greater Chennai Corporation be roped in. The city has 3,632 active cases.

“A section of doctors and nurses is placed under quarantine, while some have tested positive for COVID-19. The patient load is so high that adequate personnel will be required in the coming days. Already, the morale is affected and the workforce is feeling exhausted and stressed. It is time that doctors and nurses from the Directorate of Medical Services (DMS) and the corporation are roped in. The Indian Medical Association should also chip in,” a senior doctor said.

Another senior doctor suggested that medical officers of the Corporation should take over treatment at COVID care centres.

Sharing load

“Medical colleges are deputing doctors and staff nurses to these centres. Instead, Corporation medical officers should take over screening and managing patients at these centres. If they take care of asymptomatic patients, we can handle patients in need of treatment,” the doctor added.

An assistant professor said that doctors were being deputed from affiliated institutions such as the Institute of Child Health, the Government Ophthalmic Hospital and the Government Dental College to these quarantine facilities.

“To reduce the workload in the city, doctors and staff from peripheral centres and hospitals in areas that have fewer cases could be roped in,” he said.

Future tense

Doctors fear they may soon run out of hands if the surge in cases continues. “Right now, relaxations in lockdown are bringing in more patients. Once the lockdown is lifted, we will have a surge in cases. Then, we may not have sufficient manpower for managing COVID-19 wards and facilities,” a senior doctor said.

A doctor at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital said that as of now, non-clinical doctors were not posted on COVID-19 duties.

In fact, the National Health Mission-Tamil Nadu, in a letter to the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, said that Chennai was facing an acute shortage of healthcare professionals due to the pandemic. Tertiary care hospitals providing maternal healthcare were bearing the brunt of the pandemic because of the shortage of manpower.

The letter said that it would be necessary to divert obstetricians and gynaecologists from institutions under DMS to maternity hospitals in Chennai — IOG Egmore, RSRM Royapuram, KMC and KG Hospital — under the Directorate of Medical Education.

K. Senthil, president of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, said, “The worst is yet to come, and the situation is worrisome. The government has to engage Corporation medical officers on COVID-19 duty, and mobilise AYUSH doctors. Outpatient services should be streamlined once lockdown is lifted and the government should issue guidelines such as on physical distancing. If not, OP services will be flooded, and there are high chances that healthcare professionals will be infected,” he said.

All private hospitals can treat COVID-19 cases

All private hospitals can treat COVID-19 cases

12/05/2020,CHENNAI

In a shift from its policy thus far of authorising only select private hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, the State government has now directed all private clinical establishments to provide dedicated fever clinics, following guidelines prescribed by it.

SC not to hear Tasmac’s appeal today

SC not to hear Tasmac’s appeal today

Bench will not assemble for videoconference; may take up case on May 15

12/05/2020, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT, NEW DELHI

In an unexpected turn of events on Monday, the Supreme Court deleted the list of cases, including Tamil Nadu government’s appeal against a Madras High Court order to close liquor shops in the State, scheduled for hearing before a Bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan on May 12.

Sources said the Bench would not assemble for videoconferencing on Tuesday. The case may be taken up again on May 15.

The Bench, which also comprised S.K. Kaul and B.R. Gavai, was scheduled to hear the State's contention that an indefinite closure of liquor shops would lead to “grave” revenue and commercial losses. The State government has accused the High Court of judicial overreach, highlighting that the ban order was passed the very same day the Supreme Court dismissed an identical call to close liquor shops across the country.

Tamil Nadu, represented by advocate Yogesh Kanna and State Additional Advocate General Balaji Srinivasan, said liquor retail was owned and operated by the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (Tasmac). The order, an open-ended ban, was on the basis of petitions by parties interested in keeping the State-run liquor shops closed.

On the issue of online liquor sales and home delivery, Tamil Nadu said the Supreme Court clarified on May 8 that a decision on online sales and home delivery of liquor would be entirely left to the discretion of the States.

“The Supreme Court order recognised that States have a broad margin of power to determine whether and how to effect sales of liquor in this lockdown period,” the Tamil Nadu government’s appeal said.

It said no other State, except Maharashtra where the virus figures were three to four times more than Tamil Nadu, sold liquor exclusively online. Online sales could at best supplement sales through physical outlets, it added.

“E-payment and home delivery call for immense logistical coordination and supply chain management, which need time manpower, especially in the present COVID-18 situation,” the petition contended. Besides, it pointed out that the Tamil Nadu Liquor (License and Permit) Rules, 1981 did not provide for online sales. The State would also have to amend the Tamil Nadu Liquor Retail Vending (In Shops and Bars) Rules of 2003. The High Court could not dictate liquor sale policy to the government, it said.

The State had issued a government order on May 5 to resume the operation of Tasmac shops from May 7. The order was in line with a directive issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on May 1.

Domestic flights may resume soon

Domestic flights may resume soon

12/05/2020, BIJU GOVIND, AMIT BARUAH,KOZHIKODE/NEW DELHI

After railway services, domestic flights are expected to resume soon, with the Civil Aviation Ministry in the process of taking a final call on when and how such flights commence.

A top Central government source told The Hindu that a nod from the Union government to resume flights had to be in sync with the willingness of the States to let flights operate.

Views of CMs

“Air services can even begin before May 18. Operating protocols are in place. But a political decision on this has to be taken after keeping the views of Chief Ministers in mind.” the source added.

Don’t resume air, rail services till May 31: CM

Don’t resume air, rail services till May 31: CM

12/05/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Citing the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to resume regular air and rail services to the State till May 31.

Referring to media reports on plans to resume regular train services to and from Chennai from Tuesday (May 12), he said, “As the positive cases in Chennai are showing an increasing trend, don’t permit train services up to May 31 in my State.”

He made a similar request with respect to air services.

During a video-conference with Mr. Modi, he also sought financial aid, including refinancing support of ₹2,500 crore for the Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation through SIDBI and commercial banks.

A copy of the CM’s address was released to the media.