The Hindu : Telemedicine facility inaugurated in Madurai hospital

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 29, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Telemedicine facility inaugurated in Madurai hospital

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI DEC. 28. The Health Minister, N. Thalavai Sundaram, today said primary health centres (PHCs) would be upgraded in a phased manner.

Inaugurating the State Government Telemedicine Programme at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) here, Mr. Sundaram said the State had improved facilities at 93 PHCs out of 1412. Upgradation of other PHCs would be carried out in a phased manner.

Equipment worth Rs.40 lakhs had been supplied to the upgraded PHCs, he said.

Lauding the efforts of the Tata Consultancy Services, which offered its services free of cost, he recalled the Chief Minister's statement at the Plastic Surgeons' Conference in September last at Udhagamandalam that the State would become more powerful if only the Government and private sectors came together.

The telemedicine facility would link the GRH with 13 centres — 11 PHCs and two Government Hospitals.

The State Government had recently cleared a proposal to form committees in Madurai and Coimbatore to clear donors in kidney transplantation cases. The panel would comprise Dean of the Government Hospital, the District Revenue Officer, the Joint Director of Department of Health Services, a nephrologist and an urologist. The State had ordered distribution of `cyclosporine' an immuno-suppressive drug used in kidney transplantation cases, worth Rs.60 lakhs through Government Hospitals, he said. To cater to the needs of tribal people, 45 mobile medical units were introduced at a cost of Rs.3.75 lakhs each.

Works relating to construction of a building for the proposed Government Medical College at Andipatti were already on and the Government had already applied for the Medical Council of India's recognition.

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