MAY 11, 2021
“26 COVID-19 patients died at the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in the early hours and sought an investigation by the High Court to find out the exact cause.
The High Court should investigate the reasons behind these deaths. The HC should also intervene and prepare a white paper on oxygen supply to the GMCH, which would help to set things right.
As of today, the medical oxygen requirement of the facility was 1,200 jumbo cylinders, of which only 400 were supplied.
If there’s a shortfall in the supply of medical Oxygen, the discussion should be held about how to bridge that gap.”
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane
July 30, 2021
“At no point in time, the Oxygen supplies at GMC ran out of stock and thus, no death has been reported to have caused due to non-supply of Oxygen. As of 14/07/2022, 3101 deaths have taken place due to Covid,”
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane
Goemkarponn desk
PORVORIM: Toeing the line of the Central Government, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane today has informed the house that at no point in time, the Oxygen supplies at Goa Medical College (GMC) ran out of stock and thus, no death has been reported to have been caused due to non-supply of Oxygen.
Rane was replying to MLA Digambar Kamat, wherein he had asked for details of the total number of deaths of Covid patients who died in Goa Medical College Hospital due to shortage of Oxygen supply.
“At no point in time, the Oxygen supplies at GMC ran out of stock and thus, no death has been reported to have caused due to non-supply of Oxygen. As of 14/07/2022, 3101 deaths have taken place due to Covid,” said Rane.
He further said that sudden surge of Covid active cases in the 2nd week of May, the oxygen demand had suddenly shot up. But due to extra efforts put in by the Government, additional Oxygen was made available. None of the Government hospitals in the State ran out of oxygen supplies at no point in time.
“Therefore, no deaths have been reported to have been caused due to no supplies of Oxygen in any Government hospitals in the State till date. The government has already announced its preparedness to tackle COVID-19 Delta and Plus variant in the State,”
Rane said that the occurrence of the third wave of COVID depends on various factors. At the moment, giving a definite time frame of its event is not possible.
“The non-vaccinated category of the population is likely to be affected the most in case of a third wave occurrence. The symptoms that may occur depends from person to person and type of variant,” he added.
Speaking on vaccination, Rane said that all the permanent COVID-19 vaccination centres (CVCs) in the State will continue to have vaccination sessions while vaccination at satellite centres will be created as near house CVCs as is done under TikaUtsav 1, 2 and 3. These sessions will be coordinated with the Local elected representatives (MLAs, ZP members, Municipal Councillors, Sarpanches and Panchas) and respective local Health officers or Medical Officer-in-charge.
“Near 100% vaccination for 1st dose will be attempted till 31st July 2021. People who have suffered from COVID-19 during 2nd wave will be vaccinated 90 days after recovery. Vaccination of pregnant women’s, people without ID cards and Nepalese will also continue as per requirement. All the above beneficiaries will be vaccinated for 2nd dose after completion of 12-16 weeks of 1st dose,” said Rane.
Following a rap from the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court, the state government had rushed through the installation of a 23,000-litre liquid medical oxygen plant, which had been pushed into trial runs within 48 hours of work commencing.
