MARGAO: Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday announced the opening of the COVID Hospital after inspecting the facilities at South Goa District Hospital.
Mild to moderate, mostly step-down patients from ESI will be admitted to the hospital for a start, while patients from SGDH casualty will also be admitted as per the doctors’ call.
The minister along with the Goa Medical College Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar, Medical Superintendent of SGDH Dr Deepa Correia inspected the facilities that have been put in place for the COVID Hospital in the SGDH premises.
The Directorate of Health Services has recruited 70 persons for handling patients, which is very critical for COVID Hospital operations.
The DHS along with the South Goa District Hospital has in place 150 beds at the new COVID Hospital.
Health Minister announced plans to make a high dependency unit and ITU at the hospital after putting in place facilities such as staff and others which will be operated parallel to ESI Hospital.
“It’s not an easy task to commission a new hospital. Today we have brought in HFNO machines, ventilators here, and the facilities right from food for patients and staff have been put in place along with the facilities for doctors’ stay after receiving sanction from the Chief Minister,” Health Minister informed.
Rane informed that two GMC doctors – Dr Sunanda Amonkar and Dr Rajesh Patil have been appointed and deputed as nodal officers for the SGDH.
“The spike will not reduce and it will stay for some time. The hospital will have strict protocols as no relatives will be allowed inside. The doctors and staff at the hospital will take care of all the SOPs that are required to be followed,” he said directing the Fatorda PI Kapil Nayak to have police deputed at the Hospital’s entrance.
GMC dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar said, “From now at the village level the pouches with monitoring kits and medicines which are safe for the patients even with comorbid conditions will be distributed at the hands of Chief Minister and Health Minister. These kits are for the home isolation patients and will be given by next week.”
“The medicines in the pouch and devices such as thermometer, oximeter, and the medicines in the kit will be like a mini-clinic in the house. It will prevent patients from going into pneumonia conditions while in home isolation,” Dr Bandekar said.
He said this method has been used in Uttar Pradesh and has worked well in Bangladesh.
Dr Sunanda Amonkar informed that there would be a full-fledged casualty facility at the SGDH.
Dr Deepa Correia, Medical Superintendent of SGDH said since the facilities are new they have suggested for step-down patients till all the teething problems are over.
