Tamil Nadu Health Department conducts inspection of NGOs across state

Chennai, July 20 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Health Department has commenced inspection on premises of NGOs across the state that houses mentally-challenged patients and other destitute.

This was following an order by State Health Minister Ma Subramanian, who during a routine visit to General Hospital, Aanavasal in Pudkottai district, found that aN NGO, which was functioning on the premises of the General hospital, was functioning without following norms.

The minister found that the NGO was functioning without proper norms and 59 people were cramped into four small dingy rooms. Ma Subramanian also found that due to lack of beds, many of the patients were sleeping on the floor.

The minister immediately ordered the suspension of Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services K. Ramu and also transferred Chief Medical Officer Saravanan for the failure to monitor the mental home.

He immediately directed all the District Medical officers to take the initiative and to study all such homes that were housing people and to report to the state public health department within two weeks.

Subramanian also asked the District Health officials to submit video document of the inspection of these NGOs and ordered that stringent action would be taken against those NGOs which do not adhere to the norms specified by the health department.

The Health Minister also arranged new clothes and fruits for the patients of the NGO at Annavasal General Hospital.