- 171 patients lost their lives in January 2022
- Eight out of nine PSA plants are operational: Govt tells HC.
Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: It’s that sinking feeling again as the horrors of May 2021 came back, haunting the poll-bound State of Goa, post the new year’s celebrations.
The State saw a total of 171 COVID19 deaths in the month of January, at an average of 5.5 % every day.
The experts have attributed to rising in cases in Goa during the third wave to the tourism season during New year-end, which saw lakhs of tourists descending in Goa to usher in the New year.
None of them was seen following the COVID appropriate norms.
Now the experts, who spoke to Goemkapronn on condition of anonymity, have said that despite Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane going ga ga over the health infrastructure in State, patients are left to die in the State’s premier hospital, Goa Medical College.
“Most of teh deaths are due to co-morbidities, and there is no treatment. No doctor comes to treat the patients who are suffering from cancer, heart disease, kidney or heart disease,” said an expert.
He said that the patients are left to die on their own.
“Despite the pleas from the family members, their voice goes unheard,” said a relative.
He said, “my father was doing well and just had a fever, but he had heart disease and diabetes. His routine medications were stopped due to COVID, and as a result, his sugar level reached around 450, and finally, he died of a heart attack.”
Another relative said that though there is not much shortage of Oxygen now, there is surely a shortage of doctors.
“How will the patient survive if the specialist doctors do not come to treat the co-morbidities?” he asked.
He said the Chief Minister and the Health Minister are too busy with elections and have no time for people.
PSA PLants…
The state government has informed the High Court of Bombay at Goa that 8 out of the 9 Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) are functional in the State.
The HC has directed the State government to ensure that PSA (Pressure Swing Absorption) Plants are functional at government hospitals.
“This is a serious matter because the pandemic is still on, and the supply of oxygen if and when necessary is a serious issue,” said Petitioner Nikhil Pai.
AG Devidas Pangam said that there are nine PSA plants installed in the public Health Services in the State and all are presently functional, except at SDH Chicalim.
He further informed the Division Bench of Justice M S Sonak and Justice R N Ladda that the PSA plant at Chicalim is commissioned, and there are 25 oxygen ports (beds) presently available, out of the total capacity of 70 oxygen ports (beds).
While accepting the Advocate General’s statement, the High Court directed that effective care should be taken to ensure that the PSA plants are functional so that there are no issues about the supply of Oxygen in the government hospitals.
The High Court has posted these matters to March 7, 2022.
