22 Jun 2021  |   05:38am IST

Govt turns down proposal for judicial inquiry into oxygen shortage deaths at GMC

Tells High Court that no purpose will be served by ordering such inquiry; States arrangements made to tackle third wave
Govt turns down proposal for judicial inquiry into oxygen shortage deaths at GMC

Team Herald


PANJIM: The State government has turned down the proposal to set up a Judicial Commission to inquire into oxygen shortage deaths at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

Setting up a judicial commission to inquire into oxygen shortage deaths was among a slew of suggestions made by petitioners in a group of PILs on COVID-19 pandemic management in Goa. The suggestions were submitted to the Division Bench of the High Court of Bombay at Goa led by Justice M S Sonak a week ago.

The government has declined the proposal claiming it will demoralise the medical fraternity and the bureaucrats who have been tirelessly working during this pandemic.

“The doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, officials and bureaucrats have worked tirelessly and with full dedication during the entire pandemic and more particularly, during the second wave. Subjecting them to a judicial enquiry would be highly unjust and would have an effect of demoralising the entire workforce. Medical personnel and bureaucrats should not be subjected to such treatment in the name of PIL,” states the government’s reply to the court on Monday. 

Advocate General Devidas Pangam told the Court that the State administration and the healthcare workers worked tirelessly to resolve the issue of COVID deaths. In these circumstances, burdening the State administration and the health care system with a judicial inquiry will be counterproductive, especially in the backdrop of a possible third wave and its preparations. “No purpose will be served by ordering such an inquiry,” he said.

The government on May 13, 2021 had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Dr B K Mishra, Director, IIT with Dr V N Jindal, Ex-Dean GMC as a member and Dr Tariq Thomas, Secretary (UD) as a member and convener to enquire into the oxygen supply issues at GMC.

The High Court had asked the petitioners to submit their consolidated suggestions for finding solutions to various issues related to the pandemic, which require judicial intervention. 

The petitioners had also sought compensation paid to the next of kin or dependent. To this, the AG said that the Supreme Court has been seized of the matter regarding ex-gratia compensation to victims of COVID-19. The government had recently announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to families of weaker sections, whose member/s died due to COVID-19.

The government also refuted allegations of shortage of medicines stating that medicines as recommended by the expert committee will be procured as per requirements. The reply affidavit mentioned that certain life saving medicines have a short life span, and cannot be stocked in large quantities, and as such are required to be procured based on demand.

To a proposal about setting up a committee for an audit of COVID-19 deaths, Goa government has maintained that underreporting of COVID- 19 deaths has not been an issue in the State. “The government has assessed that the reporting of birth and death in Goa, being the best in the country and more than 99 per cent deaths or births being institutional, there is proper reporting of COVID deaths, and almost negligible scope of COVID deaths being not reported or misreported as non-COVID death,” the reply said.

The government also admitted that lately, there have been instances of late reporting by private hospitals, which will be penalised in accordance with the law. In accordance to the same, show cause notices have been issued to violating hospitals and private practitioners for late reporting of COVID-19 deaths, which notices will be disposed off in accordance with the law.

The government has also allayed apprehensions on the preparations for a possible third wave, stating that arrangements are made to tackle the third wave. “The government of Goa is seized of the issue, and is making necessary preparations in anticipation of the third wave. Government has constituted an expert committee under the chairmanship of Dean, Goa Medical College, dated May 21, 2021, where in State Epidemiologist is a member along with other experts,” it said.

The State has further ruled out door-to-door vaccination citing that it is currently not provided for in the SOP of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, considering risk of adverse event following immunization (AEFIs) and vaccine wastage. However, the State government is considering reaching out to the population who are unable to make it to the vaccination centre by prior registration of beneficiaries, mapping them area wise and conducting vaccination through mobile teams.



IDhar UDHAR

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