A journey of 70 km to get vaccine

A journey of 70 km to get vaccine

09/05/2021

M. Soundariya Preetha Coimbatore

For 47-year-old Raghu (name changed on request) a resident of Tiruppur district, taking the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine turned out to be challenging, as private hospitals had run out of stocks and there was a rush at the Tiruppur Government Hospital.

Since Raghu has to often travel on work to other districts and did not want to take a risk with his health, based on a suggestion from a relative, he decided to try getting the vaccine at a rural primary health centre.

He decided to drive down to a rural areas.

He stopped at a PHC near Dharapuram, over 70 km from Tiruppur. There was no one there except the doctor and a healthcare worker and vaccines were available. He gave his Aadhaar card, registered and got his first dose.

Many like Raghu in Coimbatore and Tiruppur are travelling to villages for the vaccine, mainly due to lack of availability in some towns and to get vaccinated at a centre where there is no crowd.

Some large companies are enquiring in different locations where they have plants, for the vaccine, for their employees.

Vaccine shortage

However, this trend worked only for a week or 10 days when vaccination was opened for those aged above 45. Now, people face problems of crowding and vaccine shortage in rural areas too, says a textile sector entrepreneur in Coimbatore.

In some of the PHCs and hospitals located close to the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border in Coimbatore, many are coming in from the border areas of both States to take the vaccines.

“There is a huge rush and people who come for a short visit get restless when they are told that there is no vaccine stock as they have waited for hours,” says the doctor at a hospital.

Hospital asks patient to get ventilator

Hospital asks patient to get ventilator

09/05/2021

Vignesh VijayakumarSALEM

A private hospital in Salem allegedly asked a COVID-19 patient to get a ventilator.

A 40-year-old man, working as marketing executive, was admitted to a hospital at Kondalampatti in early May.

The hospital, which was running short of beds, allegedly asked the kin of the patient to get a ventilator for further treatment. The attendants of the patient were unaware that it would not be possible to get ventilators in the open market.

Health officials said that action would be taken against the hospital.

Apollo Hospitals starts vaccination for those above 18 years

Apollo Hospitals starts vaccination for those above 18 years

09/05/2021

Staff Reporter Madurai

Apollo Speciality Hospitals in Madurai has started the third phase of vaccination for citizens aged above 18 years.

A press release from the Chief Operating Officer of Apollo Hospitals Rohini Sridhar said that the beneficiaries are required to register on the CoWIN app or Aarogya Setu app to book their appointment slot before arriving for the vaccination.

In the second wave of infections, more younger patients were getting affected and thus vaccinating everyone aged above 18 was an important precautionary measure. Till now, around 3,000 persons aged 45 and above have been vaccinated in the hospital, added the press release.

How are you monitoring private hosp treatment fee, HC asks govt -

How are you monitoring private hosp treatment fee, HC asks govt -

 The Times Of India

K.Kaushik@timesgroup.com

Madurai:

08.05.2021

The Madras high court on Thursday sought a response from the state government on the mechanism put in place to monitor strict implementation of government orders to allocate 50% of the beds in private hospitals for Covid care, and as to whether the hospitals were following the treatment cost fixed by the government.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by A Veronica Mary of Madurai district, who sought the government to ensure strict implementation of treatment costs fixed by the government and sought action against hospitals that charged more. Veronica also sought the government to strictly implement a GO dated April 30, that asked all private hospitals to allocate 50% beds for treatment of Covid-19 patients.

A division bench of justices M S Ramesh and B Pugalendhi observed that the grievance of the petitioner is that though the government has fixed treatment cost, it is not followed by the private hospitals. “This court appreciates the valuable services rendered by doctors, nurses, all health workers and all other frontline workers during this pandemic. At the same time, the receipt placed before this court shows that exorbitant charges have been collected by some hospitals even during this difficult time, which cannot be permitted. The hospitals are taking advantage of the situation,” observed the judges.

The judges sought a response from the state to the following queries: Whether the maximum cost for Covid-19 treatment fixed by the government is displayed prominently in all hospitals so the public can see it, and the details of the authority to whom any complaint regarding exorbitant charges can be lodged.

The judges asked what the penal provision or penalty contemplated for violation of the GO was and which authority was monitoring the implementation of the GOs. It also asked about the number of complaints received about exorbitant treatment costs and details of the action taken, if any.

The court asked the state to inform it about the maintenance of a portal on bed availability in private hospitals along with their treatment charges. The judges sought details of Covid-19 patients who have benefited from the chief minister’s comprehensive health insurance scheme at private hospitals and whether government employees are entitled to take treatment for Covid-19 in such hospitals under the Tamil Nadu employees health insurance scheme.

Police to strictly enforce stay-at-home orders

Police to strictly enforce stay-at-home orders

Inessential travel banned, helpline 112 to assist citizens

08/05/2021

Special Correspondent Thiruvananthapuram

The police will strictly impose stay-at-home orders in the State from May 8 to May 16 to curb the rise in COVID-19 cases.

The police are poised to prioritise strict enforcement of lockdown restrictions over personal liberty during the nine-day lockdown period. They have set up a helpline (112) to rush aid to citizens in crisis.

Inessential travel is banned. There will be no public transport.

People should shun long walks, sporting activities, and exercise at home.

There is no restriction on going to vaccination centres or hospitals. However, they should carry the necessary papers. Taxis and auto-rickshaws should ferry only emergency travellers and air and rail passengers. The passengers should carry identity cards and travel documents.

People should wear two masks outdoors and confine shopping to neighbourhood stores. Persons who strayed a good way from their homes without reasonable cause risk detention and fine. The police will stop and question people, including pedestrians and motorists, randomly. They will set up checkpoints at inter-district borders.

Traditional fishers and hawkers can ply their trade.

Shops selling food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, and bakeries can remain open till 7.30 p.m. Places of worship will remain closed. Not more than 20 persons should attend weddings.

Urgent steps needed to increase beds:

Urgent steps needed to increase beds:

Stalin

‘Be open in sharing details with us’

08/05/2021

Special CorrespondentCHENNAI

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Friday that his government had to take measures on a war footing to increase the number of beds and check the spread of COVID-19. He asked officials to ramp up bed capacity and the availability of oxygen and medicines.

At his first meeting with the Collectors, police officers and medical experts, he said experts projected that cases in the State, which now averaged 25,000 a day, were likely to go up in the next couple of weeks. “Only if the spread of the virus is contained, will we be able to reduce the number of deaths and the load on medical infrastructure. Our government has come to power at a time when we are facing severe challenges, and we have a responsibility to protect the lives and livelihood of the Tamil people,” he said.

The Chief Minister said he had a responsibility to support the officials fighting the pandemic. Doctors, nurses and other medical professionals were working hard to save lives. “Chennai city, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli are seeing a high case load. This has to be controlled; only then will the number of deaths come down. Officials working in these areas must work diligently and ramp up medical infrastructure,” he said.

Mr. Stalin also asked the officials to increase the rate of vaccination, especially in these districts. He advised those aged above 45, who were at an increased risk of hospitalisation and death, to come forward and get themselves vaccinated.

He advised officials to make sure that all details were shared with the government so that issues could be resolved. “Be transparent in sharing information about needs, shortcomings, what the government needs to do. Only if we face the truth, we can find solutions to issues,” he said.

Rush at usury dens

Rush at usury dens

08/05/2021

Ms. Jyothi is not alone in being faced with a financial crisis due to the pandemic, which has hit several thousand families. For these desperate families, who have no other source, gold has become the mythical Sanjeevani (panacea) to raise the much-needed funds for medical treatment.

Similar is the story of Yalamanchili Ramu (name changed) from Gayathri Hill who sold 30 tola (one tola equals 10 grams) of family jewellery for the treatment of his mother, daughter and himself who were admitted to a corporate hospital in Secunderabad. After a week, Ramu ran out of cash and had no other option but to dispose of the gold. “Selling land is a long process and gold has come to the rescue of my family. We paid more than ₹10 lakh for treatment of three persons,” he said.

Enquiries with pawnbrokers and gold loan companies reveal there is a steady footfall of desperate people to pledge their gold ornaments. “Yes, for the past one month there is a steady increase of people who are pledging gold ornaments for treatment. When they say they want money for treatment, I’m giving money at a very low rate of interest,” said a jeweller from Secunderabad