Not locking down Vasco earlier an error of judgement: Guv

Team Herald

PANJIM: Asserting that a lockdown was a must, Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik slammed the State government for its ‘error of judgment’ that resulted in COVID-19 cases spreading across the State. The Governor also maintained that the State ‘got satisfied’ about the virus situation too early. 

With the government attributing 17 of the 19 COVID-19 deaths to ‘co-morbid’ conditions of patients, the Governor said that State Health facilities should be prepared to treat co-morbidities in the dedicated COVID hospital. 

Speaking to the media after a meeting with Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and officials to review the COVID-19 situation ahead of a three-day lockdown, the Governor said, “As far as tests are concerned, Goa is doing good. Covid care management is also good.”

He added, “But we got satisfied when we should not have got satisfied. We withdrew the lockdown then and we are doing the lockdown now when cases have already increased.”

Referring to the situation in Vasco, the Governor said, “When cases had increased in Vasco and people had demanded a lockdown to contain the virus spread, the government did not pay heed, due to which the number of cases in that area increased. Cases increased everywhere and now we are going for lockdown.” 

He described the sequence of decisions as an ‘error of judgment’ on the part of the BJP-led State government. “Lockdown should have been imposed when there was demand. Lockdown should have been a must,” Malik said.

On the COVID-19 deaths, Malik said they are being attributed to co-morbid conditions of patients. “I told them that you should treat the patients with co-morbid conditions. You are only treating corona, what will happen to the rest of the ailments they are facing? There should be total treatment,” he said.

“All the facilities related to cancer, liver, kidney, and all other ailments should be available in the COVID dedicated hospital to treat the patient with co-morbid condition,” Malik said. “This was a major drawback and the government should focus on it,” he stressed. 

He said that the meeting decided to set up a new COVID hospital in North Goa, if required and COVID care centres at each taluka. “Also decision was taken to increase the ambulance fleet,” he added. 

The Governor said that though the authorities are doing a ‘satisfactory’ job, there have been complaints of lack of essential items, food quality and poor and unhygienic conditions in the care centres, which need to be taken care of. 

He also appealed to the people to follow all the norms of social distancing, wearing masks and other discipline during the lockdown.