‘Pink zone’ launched at Tirunelveli med college hospital

Tirunelveli: In a first in Tamil Nadu, health minister Ma Subramanian on Sunday inaugurated a ‘pink zone' costing Rs 15 lakh with resting rooms exclusively for women staff and medical students at Tirunelveli govt medical college hospital (MCH).

The minister also inaugurated various medical infrastructure projects in the presence of district collector K P Karthikeyan, MP, MLAs, and officials. These included a 23-bedded pay ward at Rs 1.1 crore and a building worth Rs 50 lakh for Reddiarpatti block public health unit in Tirunelveli. The minister said the pay ward has rooms with AC, sofas, TV, cupboards, separate toilets for inpatients at affordable prices for rent. "Work is underway to open pay wards at 10 more GHs," said Subramanian. Pink zone would be beneficial to women nurses, staff and medical students at the hospital as it provides five resting rooms with a safe and comfortable environment.

The minister told reporters that the process of recruitment of doctors in govt hospitals is underway. "There are 1,353 vacancies in govt hospitals and other facilities. There are also 1,600 arising vacancies. Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) has issued notification for filling 2,553 posts and around 24,000 applications have been received for the same," he said. An online exam will be be held for appointments through an agency on January 27, 2025, he added.

As for vacancies of village health nurses (VHNs), he said MRB is trying to fill 2,250 posts but around 30 people have filed cases before Supreme Court, which has led to a delay in appointments. "We urge VHNs who are facing issues to come to us directly to resolve them. Then, appointments can be expedited," added the minister.