Stalin asks Tamil Nadu chief secy to set up 'war room' for coordination of Covid-19 efforts

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister-elect M K Stalin on Wednesday asked the Chief Secretary to immediately set up a “war room” to help coordinate efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state, he said, was facing “medical emergency-like” situation.

In a statement issued hours after Governor Banwarilal Purohit appointed him as chief minister, Stalin also appealed to private hospitals in the state to “fully commit” themselves to save lives by allotting additional beds for those infected with Covid-19, apart from the 50 percent mandatory allocation. He also asked private hospitals to subsidise the treatment as far as possible.

Stalin, who held a review meeting with top government officials on Tuesday, said Chief Secretary Rajeev Ranjan had been asked to set up the war room immediately. The new set-up will have details about the number of beds needed, stock of vaccines, and oxygen needs and current stock, as well as steer the efforts both district-wise and state-wise.

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He also appreciated the efforts of healthcare workers, including doctors, in the government sector in saving lives round-the-clock, and stressed the need for private hospitals to step up by by allocating more beds for those infected with the virus. “This has become a medical emergency. The private hospital should commit themselves fully to save people,” Stalin said.

Noting that private hospitals have already allotted 50 percent of beds to Covid-19 patients, Stalin asked them to provide more beds to such patients due to an increase in the number of cases. The CM-elect also asked private hospitals to publish details of availability of normal beds, and beds with oxygen facilities on their websites.

Stalin will be sworn in as chief minister on Friday at a simple ceremony in Raj Bhavan.