Opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami can inspect Salem government hospital and the drug warehouse and find out for himself the availability of essential drugs, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said here on Sunday.
The Minister inspected the government drug warehouse at the Steel Plant and the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital. Dean Valli Sathyamoorthy listed out the availability of drugs in the warehouse.
Mr. Subramanian told reporters that Mr. Palaniswami had alleged that the Tamil Nadu Government was going to close the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) and that there was shortage of essential drugs in the Salem government hospital.
The Minister said there were 32 government drug warehouses in Tamil Nadu, and the aim of these warehouses was to supply 322 essential drugs and 302 speciality drugs to all the government hospitals. In all the warehouses, essential drugs were available for the next three months.
Mr. Palaniswami was giving statements written by someone, and he could visit the hospital or warehouse and check the availability of drugs, he said and added that the State government was giving permission to the Opposition leader for the inspection and it would not file cases against him like he did during the AIADMK regime for levelling allegations.
Denying the allegations of closing TNMSC, Mr. Subramanian said drug warehouses were to be constructed at five new places in the State at a cost of ₹30 crore. From May 2021 to March 2022, essential drugs were procured for ₹394.07 crore, and from April 2022 to now, drugs were procured for ₹266 crore.
When asked about women from other States being used by private hospitals as surrogate mothers, Mr. Subramanian said he has instructed the officials to inquire and stern action would be taken against erring hospitals.
