Tamil Nadu orders 500 doctors for immediate joining as count touches 35
The Tamil Nadu government has issued appointment orders to over 1,500 laboratory technicians, 500 doctors and 1,000 nurses for immediate joining in view of the coronavirus pandemic that has brought India to a standstill.
The Tamil Nadu government has issued appointment orders to over 1,500 laboratory technicians, 500 doctors and 1,000 nurses for immediate joining in view of the coronavirus pandemic that has brought India to a standstill.
The state will also increase its fleet with 200 new ambulances, said Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijayabaskar on Friday (March 27). He said Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has consented to the recruitment of additional workforce and ambulances.
“Considering the current situation, the chief minister has consented to the recruitment of additional workforce through MRB, abiding the rules and regulations. Appointment orders have been issued to 1,508 lab technicians, 500 doctors and 1,000 nurses for immediate joining,” said the health minister.
“The state health department will increase its fleet with 200 new ambulances to its ambulance services immediately,” said Vijayabaskar. The new recruits have been appointed in their native districts on account of the lockdown, he added.
Six new cases were reported in the state on Friday, taking its total count to 35. It includes one death as well. Of the six new cases, five people have contracted the infection through contact with those tested positive for the coronavirus.
According to Vijayabaskar, there are 12,955 beds in the isolation wards in the state, besides 3,018 ventilators. So far, 1,143 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu, of which, 35 have tested positive and 1,067 negative, and the remaining 41 are under process.
He said the chief minister will visit the dedicated coronavirus hospital at Omanadurar and the state COVID-19 control room in the evening.
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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Palaniswami on Friday, during which the former told the latter to enforce strictly the three-week national lockdown declared to check the spread of coronavirus and ensure availability of essential commodities for the people.
Modi said prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code and social distancing should be rigidly enforced. He sought to know from the chief minister about the coronavirus preventive measures undertaken by various government departments in the state, said an official release.
Palaniswami apprised Modi in detail about the steps being taken continuously by the state government against the contagion. “Considering public good, the prime minister said the prohibitory orders under section 144 should be followed strictly and people should ensure social distancing,” the release said.
The state government, which had initially announced the shutdown till March 31, on Thursday extended it till April 14 in sync with the national lockdown announced by the Prime Minister.
(With inputs from agencies)
