TN replaces its health secy after death toll discrepancy

TN replaces its health secy after death toll discrepancy

13/06/2020

Divya Chandrababu

letters@hindustantimes.com

Chennai : Tamil Nadu on Friday appointed J Radhakrishnan as the new health secretary transferring Dr Beela Rajesh to the commercial taxes and registration department, a day after the state’s data on death toll figures came under the scanner. The move comes at a time when a multi-disciplinary team appointed by the Centre to study the state’s low mortality rate, among other parameters, is expected to submit its report to the health ministry after visiting Tamil Nadu’s seven worst affected districts, including Chennai earlier this month.

Radhakrishnan is the current revenue administration commissioner and was Rajesh’s predecessor. “We are looking at team work, interdepartmental coordination and cooperation from public,” he said after taking charge.

The central team comprising two doctors from Puducherry’s Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research arrived at the capital city on June 4 and travelled to the worst-hit districts over three days to study the measures undertaken by the state to tackle the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, including testing levels, containment strategies, quarantine facilities, treatment and clinical management.

“Our concern is to prevent and contain the disease. If it spreads, we should not lose lives. In that context Tamil Nadu emerges as the best in the country. This visit will offer us insights which can be emulated in other states,” Rajendra Ratnoo, the team’s nodal officer, said.

Earlier this week, the TN Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine found that the death registry maintained by the Greater Chennai Corporation recorded 236 deaths that were not added to the state’s tally. A nine-member committee was formed to reconcile Covid-19 related deaths for Chennai.

On if a rectification of Covid-19 death numbers would affect the report, Ratnoo said, “We have asked the government to share data with us which we will analyse again after it’s updated.”

As of June 12, Tamil Nadu (40698) had the second highest number of cases in the country after Maharashtra (101,141). While Chennai accounts for 70% of the caseload in the state, other affected districts include Chengalpattu, Kacheepuram, Thiruvallur, Ariyalur, Villupuram and Cuddalore.

However, Tamil Nadu also registers the second highest tests per million among the 10 worst affected states in the country. While the national average is 4024 tests per million (as of June 11), Tamil Nadu conducts 8662 tests per million. The only other state that tests more is Delhi, which had 34687 cases as of Thursday, and averages of 13703 tests per million.

The team is currently analysing the data and will submit the report soon, Ratnoo said.