Team Herald
MARGAO: The South Goa District Hospital is unlikely to be declassified as a COVID hospital in the near future as authorities fear a sharp increase in COVID cases and in fact the hospital is being strengthened and improved so that all patients can be treated there.
Currently, the Hospital admits only patients with mild and moderate COVID and the serious cases are referred to Goa Medical College Hospital, Bambolim.
“However, we have already installed an Intensive Care Unit at the hospital now and very soon we shall be able to treat all patients here without referring them to GMC,” said Nodal Officer Dr Rajesh Patil.
Till date around 4112 patients have visited the hospital’s casualty department for COVID tests of which 1539 were admitted. Around 236 patients were shifted to GMC while only three succumbed at the hospital.
“Actually one was brought dead to our casualty while another died in the casualty and the other patient succumbed in the ward after being admitted,” Dr Sunanda Amonkar, another nodal officer said adding ‘the hospital is using only two wards’.
Each ward has 75 beds which have oxygen and suction panels so that patient can be treated on them instead of shifting them elsewhere.
Currently, COVID patients are treated on the third floor where the ICU is set up. On Wednesday 40 male and 22 female patients were admitted. Not all patients, who test positive for COVID, are admitted to the hospital.
“Many patients opt for home isolation and there are some, who cannot isolate themselves at home, get admitted to the COVID Care Centre,” Dr Sunanda said admitting that ‘at present there is only one such centre in South Goa at the Fatorda Stadium though initially there were many.’
Dr Sanath Vaingankar said in South Goa, 60 patients can be admitted to the COVID Care Centre while a similar facility in North Goa can admit 275 patients.
“The Obstetrics and Gynaecology department is housed on the second floor. A woman gave birth through a caesarean procedure in the operation theatre. Not a single normal delivery has taken place till date,” Dr Vaingankar added.
Dr Rajesh Patil said the government has now decided to vaccinate all people above 45 years from April 1, 2021 and urged people to get vaccinated. “All staff treating COVID patients such as doctors, nurses and others; have been vaccinated with no side effects. There is no reason for people to shy away from receiving the vaccine,” he said.
He said besides the two vaccination centres in Margao — T B Hospital at Monte Hill and Margao Urban Health Centre — another vaccination centre will be opened at the South Goa District Hospital on the first floor. Incidentally, all the public health centres and community health centres are also vaccinating people.
Incidentally, the government has also recommended that the second dose of the vaccine after 6 to 8 weeks as against the present norm of administering the same after four weeks. “It is observed that the vaccine efficacy increases by 20 per cent if the second dose is administered,” Dr Rajesh said adding that ‘on March 23, 2021 18 new patients were admitted.’
Earlier, Victor Hospital, Margao and Salgaonkar Medical Research Centre, Vasco were treating COVID patients. Now, these patients are treated only at GMC and the South Goa District Hospital while the ESI hospital functions as backup centre.
“There is an increase in the number of cases now and we fear that we may get more cases in the coming days,” Dr Sunanda said assuring that ‘the infrastructure is there to treat patients and the people need to be careful.’
“People have to adhere to the precautions such as wearing mask at all times and washing their hands constantly and if this is done then we shall be able to beat the virus,” she added.
