Health

Madras Eye Infirmary established

The Madras Eye Infirmary, now the Egmore Eye Hospital, was founded and is regarded as the oldest eye hospital in Asia.

Ootacamund becomes a sanatorium of the Madras Presidency

By 1827 Ootacamund in the Nilgiris had been established as a sanatorium of the Madras Presidency.

Madras Medical College founded

A medical school was opened in Madras that grew into Madras Medical College, one of the oldest in Asia.

Madras General Hospital opens to Indians

Once reserved for Europeans, the Madras General Hospital moved to a new H-shaped building and admitted Indians.

First women students admitted to Madras Medical College

Mary Scharlieb and three other women entered Madras Medical College in 1875, among the first women to study medicine in India.

King Institute of Preventive Medicine established

Set up at Guindy in Madras, the King Institute of Preventive Medicine was created to fight infectious diseases.

Ida Scudder opens a dispensary in Vellore

Ida Scudder, an American medical missionary, started a dispensary with one bed in Vellore, from which the Christian Medical College grew.

Pasteur Institute of Southern India opens at Coonoor

The Pasteur Institute of Southern India began work at Coonoor in April 1907 and became a major producer of anti-rabies vaccine.

Union Mission Medical School for Women opens at Vellore

Ida Scudder began training women doctors at Vellore with the Union Mission Medical School for Women, opened in 1918.

Influenza pandemic reaches Madras

The 1918 influenza pandemic reached Madras by the end of June 1918 and caused heavy mortality across the presidency.

Christian Medical College Vellore begins MBBS course

Ida Scudder's medical school at Vellore became a university-affiliated medical college and began offering the MBBS degree.

Cancer Institute (WIA) established at Adyar

The Women's Indian Association, led by Muthulakshmi Reddy, set up the Cancer Institute at Adyar in Madras.

Kannoli Thittam free eye surgeries

The Karunanidhi government provided free eye surgeries for the blind under the Kannoli Thittam during its 1969-76 tenure.

Sankara Nethralaya eye hospital founded in Madras

Led by S. S. Badrinath, a group in Madras founded Sankara Nethralaya, a charitable eye hospital run on a not-for-profit basis.

Apollo Hospitals founded in Madras

Prathap C. Reddy founded Apollo Hospitals in Madras, India's first corporate healthcare provider.

First HIV cases in India detected in Madras

India's first documented HIV infections were found among sex workers in Madras by microbiologist Suniti Solomon and her student Sellappan Nirmala.

Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme

Tamil Nadu began cash assistance for poor pregnant women, a pioneering state maternity benefit scheme named after Muthulakshmi Reddy.

108 free emergency ambulance service begins

The state health department launched the free 108 emergency ambulance service, run in partnership with GVK-EMRI.

Kalaignar health insurance scheme launched

The state launched the Kalaignar Kapitu Thittam to give economically disadvantaged families free treatment in hospitals.

Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme

Jayalalithaa launched a state health insurance scheme for 1.34 crore families, replacing the earlier Kalaignar insurance scheme.

Amma Pharmacy medical shops

Jayalalithaa opened the first ten 'Amma' pharmacies to sell quality medicines at fair prices.

Amma Master Health Check-Up

Jayalalithaa announced low-cost comprehensive health check-ups in government hospitals and twice-weekly tests at primary health centres.

Amma Baby Care Kit for newborns

Mothers delivering in government hospitals began receiving a free kit of 16 baby care items worth about Rs. 1,000.

COVID-19 pandemic reaches Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu reported its first COVID-19 case in March 2020; the pandemic brought lockdowns and two severe waves.

Amma Mini Clinics opened

Palaniswami inaugurated 630 'Amma mini clinics' for basic health checks, part of a plan for 2,000 clinics across the state.

Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam doorstep healthcare launched

The state launched a doorstep healthcare scheme for screening and treating non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

Kalaignarin Varumun Kappom health camps relaunched

Stalin revived the Varumun Kappom preventive health camps of Karunanidhi's time, with 1,250 camps a year across the state.

Innuyir Kaappom: free emergency care for accident victims

The state began paying for the first 48 hours of emergency treatment of all road accident victims in Tamil Nadu, including in private hospitals.

Mudhalvar Marundhagam low-cost pharmacies

Stalin inaugurated 1,000 'Chief Minister's pharmacies' selling generic and other medicines at discounts of up to 75 percent.

Nalam Kaakkum Stalin health camps

Health screening camps covering many medical specialties were rolled out across Tamil Nadu by Chief Minister Stalin.