PANJIM: Stating that the people of Goa are the real VIPs and not politicians, the Health Minister Vishwajit Rane took a pot shot at the Opposition for its constant criticism on COVID saying that they have no other issue to take up.
“People of Goa are very important to the government they are VIPs and not us politicians,” Rane said in an exclusive chat with Herald. Rane said that the AIIMS doctors had come to see Union Minister Shripad Naik but they also inspected the other facilities.
“The AIIMS doctors also visited the GMC high dependency wards and ESI COVID hospital and gave their vital suggestion, which will help us serve the common man better,” he said.
Explaining the COVID management in the State, he said when the pandemic struck, the whole idea was to understand it.
“Nobody in the world knew how to deal with the pandemic considering what was happening in Spain and Italy and other places. Top European countries also found themselves vulnerable to the virus,” he said.
As far as Goa is concerned, he added, the government has been continuously following the guidelines of the Government of India, ICMR as has been done in other States.
He said, “The State is in the process of revamping the whole COVID-19 hospital.”
“We have now decided to make the ESI hospital a model COVID-19 hospital. We have ordered the HFNO machines, modern dialysis machine, mobile X-ray machines, cardiograph machines, CT scan and ultrasound machine. All this is getting replicated in SD Hospital at Ponda. The Cabinet has given approval. We are also forming another purchase committee which combines DHS and GMC so that purchases are fast tracked and as per requirement,” he said.
He said the facilities have also been revamped at the high dependency ward at GMC. “Every bed in high dependency unit will have HFNO machines, ventilators attached and we also want to see that the positive patients admitted there are taken care of. We have also created special ward for post-op care,” he said.
He said they are trying to get all the equipment, new auto analysers, new TrueNAT machines so that testing results are received fast.
“We are trying to see that the co-morbid deaths are reduced. We cannot just say that people died due to co-morbidities. Our team of doctors is working day and night to reduce deaths,” he said.
Rane said that the expert committee that has been formed with Dr Oscar Rebello, Dr Virendra Naik, Dr Molio, Dr Rajeshwar Naik, DHS Director, Secretary Health and others to ensure that all protocols are followed in the COVID-19 hospital.
“We hold meeting every Friday and review the situation. I am happy and sad also because the number of deaths that have increased,” he said. On bypassing the Finance Department for purchases, he said, the Government of India has suspended the Finance Rules where it is clearly decided that the body of experts will decide on what is required and they will decide the modalities.
“So we have extended the suspension of Finance Rules in Goa during pandemic. The expert committee will decide what is required,” he says.
He added, “As we speak 192 ventilators have already been installed. The consumption of oxygen is gone so high, we have spoken to the company and they are unable to supply us any more oxygen beyond capacity so we have to look out for another company. These are the things where decisions have to be quick. In addition all medicines have been procured.”
He said whatever is being done is with government approvals and with experts on board.
To give better facilities to common man, Rane said, the government has also extended the services of Sodexo, which is serving food in Goa Medical College to other hospitals.
“We have brought in Eco Clean and Vijay Agencies for House Keeping. We need to recruit more persons as we need more people to monitor ITU and high dependence unit,” he said.
Rane said he has received tremendous support from the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on entire issue.
“No point of time the CM has said I can’t do this or cannot give this. He has got everything approved by the Cabinet,” he said.
He, however, criticised Opposition for finding mistakes in the COVID management.
“The Opposition always like to find issues, let them find some better issues. All I can say is we are following guidelines laid down by the ICMR and Centre,” he said.
On the hygiene issue in COVID hospitals and COVID Care Centres, he said, there were hygiene issues, but the government has roped in professional agencies for cleanliness.
