SANGUEM: The villagers residing at Wadem and other neighbouring villages have urged the State government for immediate opening of COVID Care Centre in the village on account of severe difficulties envisaged by COVID positive patients and their kin in travelling all the way to Margao for treatment.

Wadem village is located at a distance of over 48 kilometres from Margao and this at times could be time consuming and may also prove life threatening to patients with severe COVID infections, claimed village Sarpanch Kushta Gaonkar.

Gaonkar informed Herald that as of now, the COVID patients from the village are required to compulsorily travel to COVID hospital at Margao for treatment. This puts pressure not only on the patients, but also the patients’ kin are left highly disturbed on account of the long distance involved in travelling to visit the patients and be at their side in times of need.

Wadem village has a ready building premises constructed by the government some 30 years ago to house hospital premises but the same has remained unutilised because of government policy. This building could well be utilised to open COVID Care Centre for the benefit of the villagers, claimed Gaonkar.

The building is equipped with power and water supply and what needs is only revamp and renovation of the dilapidated building premise which could be taken on urgent basis, added Gaonkar. The building premises is enough to house more than 50 patients at one time, claimed Gaonkar.

Panch Jano Zore also echoed similar feelings. The opening of COVID Care Centre in the village would be of great help and the people from the village would be highly thankful to the government if it concedes the villagers demand at the time of emergency.

Zore said that COVID cases are increasing very fast across Goa and Sanguem Taluka is no exception.

He also claimed that many people in remote villages are opting for home quarantine. However, this is not feasible in many cases as most of the households have only one bathroom and toilet.