Oxygen beds in Tiruvannamalai district have increased to 1,600 from 900 as the authorities anticipate a third COVID wave. Health Minister Ma Subramanian and PWD Minister EV Velu reviewed the arrangements and inaugurated the new beds at the Tiruvannamalai government medical college hospital on Monday.

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Tiruvannamalai:

The beds include 210 in the medical college hospital, 100 in the old district HQ hospital, 280 in the Ayush wing and 50 and 60 respectively in the Cheyyar and Wandavasi government hospitals.

The Ministers who went around inspecting various wards in the medical college also oversaw the ongoing vaccination programme for pregnant women and the comprehensive emergency and obstetric emergency care wing (CEmONC) and the newly established Rs 10 lakh worth breast milk bank.

Later, at the Collector’s office, the Ministers also flagged off two 20-seater multi-purpose vehicles which would be pressed into service in the Chengam and Pudupalayam areas. The vehicles costing Rs 18 lakh each would be used to take pregnant women and children for vaccination to the nearest PHCs.

The district had 26,411 pregnant women in Tiruvannamalai and Cheyyar health districts.

Officials said 1,65,546 people in the 14-44 age group were given the first dose of vaccine while another 2,680 persons in the same age group took the second dose. Similarly, in the 45-60 age group, 85,954 persons were provided the first dose while 15,508 got the second dose.