Representatives of private hospitals in Goa on Tuesday agreed to make 250 additional beds available for COVID-19 patients, said Health Minister Vishwajit Rane.
Rane held a meeting with representatives of over 15 private hospitals seeking their active participation in COVID management. “They have agreed to co-operate and reserve 250 additional beds in their respective facilities. The government will extend all help vis-à-vis oxygen supply, anti-viral drug Remdesivir etc. We will nominate a nodal officer for seamless co-ordination with the private hospitals,” he said, adding that the charges for COVID-19 treatment have already been capped.
Referring to the increasing COVID-19 infected cases in the State, Rane cautioned that the condition was quite bad and that he cannot say how many more beds may be required to treat the patients.
Rane later visited the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim along with Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar to review arrangements made for supply of oxygen to COVID-19 infected patients.
Rane held a virtual meeting with all GMC heads of departments and reviewed preparedness given the rising cases in the State. He instructed them to maintain sufficient stock of medicines, to ensure the staff (both COVID and non-COVID duty) is equipped with protective gear and to restrict patient relatives to one.
GMC ward 121 has now been set up as a COVID ward with five beds reserved to treats doctors, who have tested positive.
All planned surgeries in GMC have been cancelled till May 15 and will be resumed post review after that. However, chemotherapy and dialysis units would continue as scheduled.
Rane also interacted with officials from the Directorate of Health Services in the presence of Secretary (Health) Ravi Dhawan and directed them to ensure that all the requirements are projected in advance and equipped to face any challenges.
The Minister mandated the health officers to ensure that OPDs (out-patient department) function regularly; that all the staff is equipped with protective gear; to ensure sufficient stock of home Isolation kits and proper distribution of kits to patients and to make mobile testing vehicles operational for rapid detection of coronavirus cases.
