FRIDAY, MAY 03, 2024
Team Herald
PORVORIM: Taking the Opposition head-on over their criticism on COVID19 management, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday said that the world is suffering from the pandemic and that Goa cannot be insulated from the impact of the virus.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Rane said that it was very easy for the Opposition to criticize sitting at home through video conferencing.
“When a country like USA can also be vulnerable, what can we say. Coronavirus has not come in a planned manner. It has taken the world by surprise,” he said.
On the criticism over Cuncolim MLA Clafasio’s treatment, Rane said, “we treat each of patient similarly, be it a VIP or a common man. We do not differentiate.”
He said he felt sorry for the 35 lives lost in Goa due to COVID19 and the rising number of cases.
“Despite creating so much awareness, people are not listening to social distancing norms. They do not want containment zones as most of them are daily wage workers and cannot survive,” he said.
On criticism over shortage of medicines, he said, the GMC as well as the COVID 19 hospital has enough medicines requisitioned.
“The Opposition has to understand that even if we have medicines, we cannot administer the same to every patient. There are norms and SOPs of ICMR we need to follow them,” he said.
On unhygienic conditions at COVID19 hospitals, he said the housekeeping staff and the kitchen staff has been infected and that is the reason there are some issues.
“However the CM, the team and I are constantly working on improving the condition. Besides, we are also working on upgrading the COVID hospital. If need be, we will not shy away from another COVID-19 hospital in the North,” he said adding “We are trying to provide COVID Care (Centres) in every taluka so that people do not have to go elsewhere for treatment.”
About financial constraints, he referred to the fact that States across India are finding difficult to deal with financial condition.
“It’s just not Goa. This is because the revenue collections have dropped as there is no economic activity taking place,” he said.
Along with COVID, Raner said, the govt has to also take care of people losing jobs.
“COVID is here to stay; nobody in this world can say when the situation will normalize. But simply creating panic in the mind of the people is not going to help. I demand that those spreading fake news and creating panic need to acted upon,” he said.
He also criticized the Opposition MLAs for violating the social distancing norm while protesting in the Assembly.
He urged the Opposition not to play politics in the name of COVID.
