PANJIM: In the wake of COVID-19 surge in some countries, Goa government will conduct a mock drill on Tuesday, to ensure their readiness to deal with any eventuality, following an advisory by the Centre.
The exercise will focus on parameters such as availability of health facilities, capacity of isolation beds, oxygen-supported beds, ICU beds and ventilator-supported beds, and optimal availability of doctors, nurses, paramedics, AYUSH doctors, and other frontline workers. The mock drill will cover Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), North and South Goa district hospitals and sub-district hospitals.
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A senior official at the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) said that the drill will not be a physical exercise but basically an assessment of operational readiness of the facilities.
It will focus on human resource capacity in terms of healthcare professionals trained on COVID-19 management, healthcare professionals trained in ventilator management protocol for severe cases and availability of Advanced and Basic Life Support ambulances, testing capacities (number and capacity of Covid test labs, availability of RTPCR and rapid antigen kits, reagents), logistics availability (essential drugs, ventilators, PPE kits, N 95 masks) and availability of telemedicine services.
Official said that the facility wise data will be uploaded on a special online portal assigned by the Union Health Ministry, for that purpose, by Tuesday evening.
During the second phase of COVID-19 that hit the country in 2021, Goa faced severe oxygen shortage leading to deaths of close to 80 patients. Thereafter, the government commissioned dedicated oxygen plants at GMC, ESI and North District hospital.
The emergency response comes against the backdrop of rising Covid cases in China – the BF.7 variant of Omicron – and other parts like Japan, Korea, France, the USA and Brazil. India has reported three such cases so far.
As per Centre’s guidelines, random testing of international passengers at the Dabolim International airport has commenced from December 24. The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has already ruled out imposing any sort of restrictions in the State till January 2, next week.
