PANJIM: COVID-19 patients undergoing isolation at the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Cansaulim have complained about the unhygienic conditions of the premise.
“Since I had bad cold, I went and tested myself in the Sub-District Hospital, Chicalim, where I was reported COVID-19 positive. Not just me but my entire family was infected with Coronavirus. I requested for home quarantine; the health authorities denied. “We were unaware of the situation at Primary Health Centre, Cansaulim but got to know after staying for just one day. Since all of us were quarantined, we have to manage with outside food which is causing more threat to our health. Forget about food they don’t even provide drinking water,” said one of the patients Mercy Fernandes.
“It was told to us at the Bengaluru airport that the test reports of new Omicron variant will be received within next two days. But it has been a week I arrived in India from UK and quarantined here but there is no sign of my test reports. When enquired, they are not giving any concrete answers,” said Fernandes adding.
Both male and female toilets are present in one common room. There is no facility in the bathroom to keep soap dish, no bathroom hanger etc. The person going for bath therefore keeps his/her belongings on the chair and locks the main door. This blocks the access to toilet.
Another patient on condition of anonymity said, “My seven-year-old son was tested COVID positive. As per the protocol, I am accompanying my son. The facilities here are awful. In total around 16 -17 people are isolated in a block and everyone is asked to use the same toilet. In addition, the premises being unhygienic it is not serving its main purpose i.e. isolation. I am ready to pay and stay in separate room but they don’t have any other room as well,” she added.
“Everyday new COVID-19 positive patients arriving Goa from outside countries are admitted in the PHC, Cansaulim. But there are no proper isolation wards for COVID positive and negative patients. I don’t have any symptoms of Covid. But since reports are delayed we are at the risk of infection,” the patient said.
One Dr Naveca, whose son tested positive said, “Me along with my wife and two children had arrived in Goa from London. My son was tested positive and I am accompanying him in the health care centre here which itself needs to be cared about.
“Neither there is access to clean water nor do they serve us hot food. There are just two washrooms — one for ladies and another for gents. The medical staff moves between the wards, use the same equipment without even sterilising them,” alleged Dr Naveca.
According him, the same thermometer, which is inserted in the armpit to check the temperature of one patient is used for another patient without sterilising. When asked, the nurse says that they clean it but don’t sterilise it since there are chances of equipment getting damaged. I brought my own kit so as to avoid the usage of same equipment but the nurse refused to use it. Being a healthcare professional, I am very much aware about the protocols that need to be followed and the care that needs to be taken while dealing with the COVID positive patient. But the scenario here is completely opposite to what needs to be followed,” he rued.
Expressing his views about the state of affairs in the PHC, Cansaulim, Dr Naveca, a British national and a clinical director at the Kings College Hospital, London said, “I am myself monitoring my son and I can manage since I am a doctor but what about the common people who are suffering?”
It sounds stupid to remain isolated in the premises wherein there are no adequate facilities and the main purpose itself is not getting served, Dr Naveca said.
Another patient identified as Jelroy, a foreigner, complained that one has to manually handle the trash bin . “The same mop is used to clean all the three wards. These frowzy mops are then kept at the corner of the bathroom without sanitising and causing risk to healthy people,” said Jelroy.
When contacted, Director of Health Services Dr Ira Almeida said that passengers coming from foreign countries expect their reports within two days, which is not possible. She claimed that the PHC Cansaulim is a new health centre and one toilet per person is not possible since this is of a dormitory style.
Dr Almeida further said, “We can understand the state of mind of patients. They are frustrated since their entire holiday is getting spoiled in being quarantined. The delay in getting the COVID-19 report is due to obvious reasons. The arrival of reports always takes seven to eight days. We are trying to do our best.”
