FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Rising deaths,cases: Why?
Goa is in the so-called extended restrictions period after the 3.5 day ‘lockdown’! Cases today: 3496 per day with 71 deaths. Why?
No beds and no oxygen. Patients’ relatives are desperate and forget IPC- Infection prevention and control measures while they move in cars or buses from one hospital to another searching for beds and oxygen. No doctor or nurse meets such people to perform the WHO triage. Such people are too desperate to get themselves and their contacts tested.
Buses still ply with full capacity. Today itself I saw a passenger on the last window seat with no mask. All seats appeared occupied.
Each positive patient can infect 5 more people. With a 7 day average of 2800, we will get another 15000 infected. Points 1 and 2 above will not arrest this.
Irresponsible film units given permission to shoot in Goa during these desperate times.
Solution: People must be calmed down. This is possible if the State provides adequate beds and Oxygen. Responsibility of CM and Health Minister. More the delay, more the cases, more the deaths and more the time to plateau.
After point 1 is solved: make an online portal for each village. All home isolated positive patients must fill their case on the portal. Whether his family is isolated and the people they contacted in the previous 14 days. The panchayat must take up the tracing and either do the triage with the Health Centre or ask them to daily report their heart rate, breathing rate and other symptoms- listed on the portal for the next14 days. They must link up with the positive patient. Such people must limit contacts and follow correct IPC for 14 days or get tested.
Buses must be stopped or strictly carry people with 2 m distancing. Industry must provide their own transport for their workers.
Health Centres are busy with vaccination and not doing testing and patient triage. They need to do both. They maybe overworked. Private Doctors must be roped in to relieve them Responsibility: CM
Revoke all permissions for film shoots in Goa. Release ads. Goa is now closed! Responsibility: CM
R Fernandes, Margao
Priests’ transfers
Precisely last year, when priests’ transfers had already been decreed, Covid-19 struck, and the already made transfers were not implemented, because priests movement during Covid-19 would be difficult and dangerous to health of the priests as well as those helping priests to carry their luggage.
Added thereto would have been the fact that in the new posting the priests would be totally isolated from people.
Today the situation is worse with a vengeance, with already priests in the prime of their age dying due to the pandemic.
It is only in the fitness of things and I would urge earnestly Our Archbishop to take the step, the only reasonable one to suspend implementation of the transfer orders, till Covid-19 eases.
I am writing this letter but, from my conversation with many, It is also the view of many.
Listening to this view, the Archbishop Most Rev. Filipe Neri Ferrao will recognize that the laity too has the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Peter Rodrigues, Margao
Provide essential learning facilities
We all are mostly so depressed, Stressed for the last one year due to the pandemic which has hit the whole world and ruined our daily life in different ways from health, jobs, financial, business, to education of children from first wave Covid-19 to dangerous second wave now and Goa being on the top position in positivity rate till yesterday according to local and National media news.
Now leaving aside the pandemic and negativity which is harming us in our day to day life I want to bring to the attention of our Government and CM Dr Pramod Sawant who is education Minister, including 39 MLAs to focus some percent on the future of our children right now as the new academic year is approaching where some children will start with their studies again on their mobiles, few on tablets, few on computers or laptops but what about poor children who can’t afford to buy or use the above?
I myself have experienced last year as my daughter was in STD VIII and was using my mobile for her online classes and my heart was crying to see my daughter writing minutely long pages from small screen of my mobile till my daughter was blessed by Tablet by one of my Angel college friend from Panjim for which I am so greatful.
I don't think any one of us can write long long pages/chapters from mobile or concentrate which can have bad impact on our children’s eyes. So my humble request and appeal to our CM and Govt of Goa in children’s interest to please bless Tablets to all the deserving children from all over Goan schools if not all as it will make them concentrate and write in a better way. I remember our late CM Parrikar blessing students with laptops when he was our CM and education Minister and I pray to CM Dr Sawant to follow his guru's dreams of blessing his children of Goa.
Jerry L.D’Souza, Divar
Religious leaders role during COVID crises
Many Christian hospitals and institutions in our country are actively involved in the treatment and care of Covid patients of all communities. Christian religious leaders are also involved in providing support and guidance to the people during this grave crisis.
Owing to this active involvement, a number of priests, nuns and staff got infected and many of them also lost their lives. Quite often the service of Christian leaders and institutions are not recognised. At times, it is not even noticed but they continue to do the good work regardless of it. This is the way Christians are groomed from young to love, care, show concern to fellow brothers and sisters and give selfless service to them.
If the religious leaders of other communities also show the same concern and involve themselves likewise, it will make a world of difference. Further, if they make their institutions and facilities available for the management of Covid and the care of our affected citizens in this hour of need, it will be a great service to our society and to humanity.
Rodney de Souza, Assagao
Save the Basilica
With monsoons around the corner and many wet days being predicted in May itself, it is imperative that the restoration work of the Basilica of Bom Jesus be fast tracked.
Last year due to the deforested buffer zone adjoining the new highway, there was a humungous amount of water seepage in the walls, so much so that the dampness persisted even in the dry season. Delay in covering of the open roofs which were battered with summer rain on the Southern and Eastern side worsened matters. Drainage is a big issue; the main channel and the other ancillary ones leading from the hills to the Basilica compound need to be desilted post haste and cleaned with a water jet.
Also the site drainage impediment from the Basilica towards the Mandovi and Carambolim lake needs to be addressed. Rain water outflow towards the Gandhi statue side is obstructed by tonnes of garbage and amateurish reclamation of a functional drain has made matters abysmal. Due to asphalt topping over the years, the Basilica plinth now sits one metre below the adjoining main road and the water runoff from the tarred surface ends up being absorbed by the laterite structure, to mitigate this, a plinth protection apron needs to be built around the structure.
I hope during these times of Covid the government doesn't forget it's duty towards preserving this UNESCO listed world heritage monument.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
