Some medical colleges not cooperating on setting up Covid Care Centres

The Department of Health and Family Welfare has alleged that some private medical colleges were not cooperating on setting up COVID-19 Care Centres on their premises as mandated by the Centre, and has sought the intervention of the top leadership in the Union Territory.

Director of Health S Mohan Kumar has written to Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi and Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, besides the Health Minister and Chief Secretary over the issue.

A copy of the letter has also been sent to the Union Health Ministry.

"Puducherry is ideally placed to tide over the crisis by involving private medical colleges as CCCs, particularly when the Union Territory is in a critical and grave situation in managing the current pandemic crisis," he said.

The official also pointed out in his letter that involving the private medical colleges is more advantageous than choosing marriage halls and auditoria to establish the CCCs.

He requested the higher-ups to intervene and resolve the issue.

The government-run Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital and the centrally administered JIPMER are now functioning as COVID-19 hospitals, while the government run Mahatma Gandhi Dental College and a private medical college have the CCCs to admit and treat the infected.