As announced earlier, the State government has now issued orders directing all private hospitals to reserve 20 p.c of beds in ICUs for COVID19 patients.
As per the order issued by the Director of Health Services Jose D’Sa, those who fail to comply will be strictly dealt with.
“In exercise of the powers conferred under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, vide notification no. 23/20/2014-1/PHD/Part IV/553 dated 13/03/2020 Government of
Goa, issues the following directives,” the order says.
1. All private hospitals in Goa with ICU facilities must mandatorily reserve 20 % of their beds for COVID positive patients.
2. If any private hospital does not comply with this condition within 3 days, their licenses granted to operate could be suspended / cancelled.
3. The private hospitals should share with DHS the rates being charged from COVID positive patients for treatment/ accommodation / room charge / other procedures.
“The above directives come in force with immediate effect,” the order says.
However, the order has not gone well with the private hospitals, who says many of them just have 2-4 ICU beds.
“How can we keep COVID patients with the other patients in same room. The order has been issued without application of mind,” said one doctor, on condition of anonymity.
The decision of the government to reserve 20% beds in every private hospital in Goa has created panic and fear in the minds of the people. Is government trying to take Covid to every hospital bed, questioned Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat.
He asked the government how safe will be the other patients if Covid patients are admitted in small hospitals in Goa.
The government needs to come out with a concrete action plan on handling of Covid pandemic in Goa. I am now issuing a final ultimatum to the government to release White Paper on Covid pandemic in Goa.
Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat also sought to know why government is not making the optimum use of South Goa District Hospital. He said that Chief Minister should take up the matter with the Prime Minister and immediately get money from PM Care Fund to make all the facilities in the hospital fully operational.
He said that government should take all the stakeholders into confidence and try to identify one hospital in each District and designate the same as Covid Care Hospital. The general order issued by the government has resulted in creating fear and panic in the minds of people. There are some hospitals which are non-operational; the government can take over such hospitals for Covid care.
Digambar Kamat also raised questions about the preparedness of the government on handling Covid in Goa. He has raised questions on the status of 200 ventilators which were ordered by the government as per the statement made by the Chief Minister. He also questioned the government over creation of 20000 quarantine facility as claimed by the Chief Minister almost 2 months back. The current situation gives scope for everyone to believe that the government did not do anything during the 40 days Lockdown period.
Most of the hospitals in Goa are comparatively small with hardly 3 to 4 beds in the ICU’s. The room capacity of the hospitals is hardly 10 to 15 rooms in such hospitals. I was contacted by the people across the State who have expressed concerns on the government decision. The people seeking treatment in hospitals catering to gynaecology, eye care and general surgeries and medicine wards will feel unsafe and insecure to get admitted in the hospitals if they know that Covid patients are admitted there.