Officials irked as private medical colleges resist setting up of COVID care centres in Puducherry

Officials irked as private medical colleges resist setting up of COVID care centres in Puducherry

The Director of Health and Family Welfare Dr S Mohan Kumar on Saturday sought the assistance of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and Chief Minister V Narayanasamy to resolve the issue

Published: 04th July 2020 02:00 PM 

There are currently 485 active COVID-19 cases in the Union Territory 

By Express News Service

PUDUCHERRY: Faced with resistance from the managements of private medical colleges over the establishment of COVID care centre on their premises to take care of patients, the Director of Health and Family Welfare Dr S Mohan Kumar on Saturday sought the assistance of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and Chief Minister V Narayanasamy to resolve the issue.

In a note sent to them, Dr Mohan Kumar stated that COVID care centres are mandated to be started as per the instructions of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to states and UTs. Puducherry is ideally placed to tide over the crisis of beds for COVID patients as the cases rise by getting private medical colleges to establish such centres in their institutions.

"But resistance to establishing the centres puts the whole of the UT in a very critical and grave situation in view of the increasing number of cases," he said. There are currently 485 active COVID-19 cases in the UT.

Establishing these centres in private medical college hospitals is more practical and viable than doing so in marriage halls, auditoriums and other buildings. This is the only way out to save the lives of people in the UT of Puducherry, he said.

Out of seven private medical colleges in the UT, only one -- Aarupadai Veedu Medical College -- has established a centre where COVID patients have been admitted since June 25.

The director also sent the note to Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar and District Collector cum Health Secretary Dr T Arun.

The Chief Minister has already warned medical colleges and others opposing the establishment of COVID care centres that the matter would be taken up with the Centre as the medical colleges are violating the Union health ministry's directions.