Team Herald
PANJIM: Admitting a grim COVID situation with 230 patients on ventilators and several occupying floor in absence of beds in Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), the Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar appealed people infected with virus not to delay hospital visit, thus risking their lives.
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Addressing media persons, Bandekar also informed that the State health sector is ready for third wave of COVID, which is just a prediction, at this point.
Bandekar further informed that so far only two people, with high co-morbidity, have succumbed to the infection, even after being administered with both vaccine doses, while there are few deaths, who have taken first dose.
“COVID is not difficult situation to manage but people need to cooperate. Fever in the current pandemic, need to be seen as COVID and get tested. Positive patients are delaying hospital visits, thus endangering their health and risking lives,” Dean said.
“Patient rush to hospitals when they become breathless and worst. We have patients brought dead while many die in less than 24 hours of hospital admission. Then there is no point in blaming the administration,” he added.
Bandekar informed that at present there are 230 patients on ventilators in GMC while several are also occupying floor in absence of beds. “On an average, we see 60-70 daily admission. We have 16 dedicated COVID facilities in GMC but that is not enough. We are in process of enhancing it,” he explained.
The Dean also lamented that State health sector is facing shortage of medical staff for COVID treatment as several, despite having the required degree, are not coming forward to take the job.
“We need huge number of doctors, nurses, other medical staff. When you increase a facility, you need staff. But unfortunately, people are not coming forward to take up the job fearing for their lives,” he said.
Responding to a question on third wave, Bandekar said that the third wave is just a prediction. “Third wave will hit children below 18 years and new born is what expert predicts since there is no vaccination available for them so far,” he said adding ‘let us now concentrate on second wave only…we have all the equipments and medical aid available if third wave hits..we just need to augment them”.
Appealing people above 45 year age group to get them vaccinated at the earliest, Dean explained that after two doses, even if you get infected to the virus, the pneumonia component is very low, and one can sail through the infection, smoothly.
“The chances of a vaccinated person being a virus carrier is very less as after both doses, their immunity is very high. After first dose also immunity boosts, but if you are suffering with high co-morbidity, then there are chances of critical condition,” he said.
Bandekar said that government’s decision to make negative certificate mandatory for tourist entering Goa, will help in big way to prevent spread of virus.
