Keeping in tune with the theme of World Health Day 2022, ‘Our Planet, Our Health’, all medical officers have been told to plant saplings on the premises of every Primary Health Centre (PHC) in the State, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said.
“There are over 2,200 PHCs in the State. We have sent circulars to all medical officers advising them to plant saplings in all PHCs considering issues such as global warming. Each PHC, depending on the space available, should take up measures to plant nearly 200 saplings starting today,” he told reporters during the sidelines of an event at Government Stanley Medical College (SMC) Hospital on Thursday.
He said that PHCs were advised to install LED lights and put in place a rainwater harvesting system. “PHCs should definitely avoid use of plastics that are non-biodegradable — that is, ban usage of plastics of less than 20 microns thickness,” he said.
According to a press release, the Minister laid the foundation stone for a Sensory Garden for children with autism at the Institute of Social Paediatrics of SMC. Autism was a developmental disability that impaired social interaction, communication and behaviour. A Sensory Garden was designed for the purpose of exploring the senses in a safe and stimulating environment. This was a ₹ 50 lakh-project funded by National Health Mission and Lions Club.
The Minister also released a Parent’s Guide on Autism that provided information for parents and caretakers to help and support autistic children.
He inspected a new hybrid 37-bed Intensive Care Unit established at SMC at ₹1 crore. Among these, 12 beds would be utilised for paediatrics, 15 for general medicine and 10 for surgery.
The Minister said the Chief Minister would inaugurate newly established ICUs with 1,583 beds on April 14. This was in line with the announcement to create additional ICU beds in all government medical college hospitals, district headquarters, taluk and non-taluk hospitals at a cost of ₹364.22 crore.
He also opened the pedestrian footbridge at the entrance of the hospital. It was renovated at a cost of ₹25 lakh, and a gym in the women’s hostel. Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekar Babu, Member of Legislative Assembly (Royapuram) R. Moorthy, Director of Medical Education R. Narayana Babu and Dean of SMC P. Balaji were present on the occasion.
