The Asian Age

TN to import vaccines, give incentives to medical staff

New govt hold all-party meet on Covid, plans global tender for vaccines

- G. BABU JAYAKUMAR and D. SEKAR

Intensifyi­ng its fight against Covid-19’s second wave, the new M.K. Stalin government took a slew of major decisions like importing vaccines via global tenders, incentives to medical personnel and holding an all-party meeting to chalk out Tamil Nadu’s future strategy.

After a review meeting at his Assembly office Wednesday, Mr Stalin said the state will get vaccines via global tenders to vaccinate its 1845 population quickly. He ordered state officials to ensure medical oxygen supply to hospitals was maintained by obtaining it from other states.

The state’s oxygen quota was raised from 280 MT to 419 MT, but it was still inadequate.

He also announced a scheme to motivate doctors, nurses and other medical profession­als with incentives ranging from `15,000 to `30,000 for April, May and June. Doctors would get `30,000.

Intensifyi­ng its fight against the second wave of Coronaviru­s, the newly-elected government, led by M.K. Stalin, took a slew of path-breaking decisions like importing vaccines through global tenders, giving incentives to medical personnel and holding an allparty meeting to chalk the future strategy.

After a review meeting at his chamber in the Kalaivanar Arangam Assembly premises on Wednesday, Stalin announced that the State would procure vaccines through global tenders with a view to vaccinatin­g its population between 18 and 45 years

expeditiou­sly.

The supply of vaccine from the Centre was inad- equate and that the Centre itself had given the go-ahead to the States to procure vaccines on their own, he said.

Similarly, he also ordered the industry, health and social welfare department­s to ensure that the supply of medical oxygen to the hospitals in the State was maintained by procuring it from other States. Though the supply of oxygen to the State was increased from 280 tonnes to 419 tonnes, there was still a shortfall, he said.

Also to encourage and motivate the medical profession­als to help the State continue the fight against Coronaviru­s, he announced an incentive ranging from `15,000 to `30,000 to different categories of health workers for the months of April, May and June in the second wave of the pandemic.

While doctors would get `30,000, nurses, PG students and medical interns would get `20,000 and all other medical staff like lab technician, CT Scan operators, ambulance workers and sanitary staff would get `15,000.

 ??  ?? Nurses light candles to pay tribute to Florence Nightingal­e, on the occasion of Internatio­nal Nurses Day, at the Kilpauk Medical College hospital in Chennai on Wednesday.
Nurses light candles to pay tribute to Florence Nightingal­e, on the occasion of Internatio­nal Nurses Day, at the Kilpauk Medical College hospital in Chennai on Wednesday.

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