PANJIM: With the State’s COVID death tally touching 12, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat has demanded that government should immediately hand over the management of dedicated COVID ESI Hospital, Margao to Army.
“As COVID deaths reaching double digit, how many more deaths?” Kamat tweeted demanding that government should come out with an effective healthcare plan to handle COVID crisis. “The government should immediately hand over the COVID hospital management to Army before it’s too late,” he added.
The former Chief Minister said that he had earlier in March, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to form a task force comprising of experts from civil society and Army to handle current pandemic.
“Unfortunately, the government realised it now. The government must take immediate steps in this direction to provide best healthcare to the people,” Kamat said while referring to Chief Minister’s meeting with Defence officials, on Friday, wherein it decided to rope in their service towards COVID management.
Further, Kamat has also reiterated his demand for White Paper on COVID management.
On Friday, the Chief Minister met local commanders of the Indian Armed Force units in the State — Indian Navy and Indian Army, as well as top Indian Coast Guard officials along with Union Minister of State for Defence Shirpad Naik and sought help from the uniformed forces to supplement the State government’s COVID management efforts.
