SATURDAY, MAY 04, 2024
SURAJ NANDEKAR
PANJIM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant says the government understands the social stigma the patients are going through and hence it has also started educating people through district administration.
“It is a virus, which can happen to anyone. Just opposing the Covid Care Centres and stigmatising the people, who have got infection, will not help. Our fight is against Corona and not against the people,” he said.
He said this can lead to a serious problem and in future people with infected will not come forward to test themselves.
Dr Edwin Gomes, who has been treating the COVID-19 patients since Day 1 says that the treating recovered people as outcast is totally wrong.
“People who are cured are not going to get COVID again. They have passed their phase of re-infection. Their anti-bodies are quite high,” he said.
He says the recovered patients are the people who even want to come and help us and if they come to help, it’s much better as they are not scared.
“Don’t treat them like an outcast, the Goan public is treating them like an outcast, this is something which is totally wrong. People who have recovered are good; their blood in certain places is used in treatment on COVID like plasma therapy,” he says.
He further added, the patients need to be treated with respect as they are people who are not going to get COVID again.
“If you treat them with respect, they will tell you good stories of COVID-19 hospital and staffers,” he states.
The issue has also been deliberated at the all-powerful State Executive Committee meting recently.
“Yes we have discussed the issue as the cured patients have not been allowed to stay in housing societies and localities. The collectors have been asked to educate the people on the issue,” said Health Secreary Neela Mohanan.
