Residents of Selaiyur and Sembakkam have requested the State government to set up an adequate number of its facilities to handle COVID-19 crisis in the Chengalpattu district. Due to the lack of adequate government-run facilities, people are forced to go to private hospitals, say residents.

S. Jaikumar, secretary, Thirumalai Nagar Welfare Association, says, “Recently, my friend’s wife was down with fever, and she had lost her sense of smell and taste. Due to lack of testing facilities in Sembakkam, she was referred to a Upgraded Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Medavakkam. Unfortunately, the staff at the Upgraded PHC in Medavakkam refrained from conducting any test, and said she just had fever. Eventually, my friend took his wife to a private hospital where she tested positive.”

K. Meenakshi Sundaram, general secretary, IOB Colony Residents’ Association, says, “Not all can afford a private hospital. Each Municipality should have adequate testing centres and its PHCs should be well-equipped.”