FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: At a meeting held between Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) and Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, the doctors emphasised upon the government to address the issue of oxygen supply shortage at the earliest and take necessary action on an urgent basis.
They referred to the meeting that was held with the Health Minister at the Secretariat on the same day, where they pointed out that they had conveyed their views regarding the need for more health workers, shortage of oxygen supply and other logistic issues.
They pointed out that the demand and supply of health services and facilities has taken a hit, depleting all available resources.
GARD added that the second wave of COVID pandemic has seen a big surge of cases, which has resulted in a situation wherein the burden of morbidity and mortality has gone beyond the control of facilities available at hand.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Sawant said he had come to meet them to sort out all issues. Asked why he had not met them earlier, he said he had not been informed of the matter directly earlier and that he had read media reports and was later updated by the authorities concerned but assured that all steps are being taken to address their concerns.
He added that he had held a meeting with the Dean of Goa Medical College (GMC), Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and the oxygen suppliers to sort out any problems while emphasising that past issues of oxygen unavailability have been resolved.
When pointed out that the doctors have complained about the delays in the processes involved for the patients to get oxygen and how in such cases time is vital given how oxygen saturation levels drop quickly in patients, Sawant reiterated that these issues are being looked into. He added that these are issues that are being handled by the team as a unit, who together are working on solving the problems being faced by the doctors.
Incidentally on Tuesday night, there were appeals to the CM and HM to check the oxygen supply levels at GMC’s Ward 142 and that patients lives were at risk as oxygen supply was running out and that the saturation levels of patients were dangerously low.
GARD has also appealed to the public to take the pandemic seriously, warning that the situation can turn worse if proper care is not taken and appealed to people to opt for home isolation to break the chain. They also called on the public to have faith in the doctors and also to get vaccinated to help protect themselves.
It is to be noted that there have been several resident doctors who have been
infected since the second wave, with the numbers increasing in the last few days while there are some who have recovered and resumed duty as well. Doctors have also been provided space at the Miramar Residency where they complete their isolation period.
