Tamil Nadu’s Health Minister Ma Subramanian sharply criticized Opposition Leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday for spreading misinformation about the availability of certain medicines in the state, accusing him of causing unnecessary public panic.Palaniswami had alleged that Omeprazole, a common medication for treating ulcers, was out of stock in Tamil Nadu, and that there was a lack of antidote for methanol poisoning for victims of the recent Kallakurichi incident. Responding to these claims, Minister Subramanian clarified that the state’s health department currently has a stock of 4.42 crore tablets of Omeprazole.
“He is confusing ‘Omeprazole’ with ‘Fomepizole,’ which is actually used as an antidote for methanol,” Subramanian stated. He added that Fomepizole injections are indeed out of stock in many states due to a halt in production, but Tamil Nadu has procured them from Mumbai at a cost of Rs. 6,700 per injection. These injections are available at the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) head office and at hospitals in Kallakurichi, Salem, and Chennai.
The health minister accused Palaniswami of neglecting his duty by not addressing the issue during the assembly session when given the opportunity. He suggested that the opposition leader visit government medical college hospitals in Salem and Kallakurichi to verify the stock status of medicines.
“Edappadi Palaniswami has made people panic by spreading false information while we are acting transparently. The public is aware of our efforts. He should resign for spreading such misinformation,” Subramanian declared.
Furthermore, Subramanian stated that the Tamil Nadu government is prepared to present a white paper on the medicine stock issue, as demanded by Palaniswami.