PONDA: Veling-Priol-Cuncoliem Panchayat locals on Tuesday finally supported the panchayat’s decision to set up a COVID Care Centre in the panchayat hall.
Following a stiff opposition from the locals to the panchayat’s decision to allow its hall for setting up of centre, a joint meeting of the villagers and panchayat was held, at the panchayat hall.
During the meeting, Goa Medical College and Hospital’s Dr Madu Ghodkirekar allay fears and apprehensions of the locals over the local body’s decision to convert its hall into a COVID Care, to quarantine the infected villagers.
He explained how the villagers would be benefitted over the COVID Care Centre in case of spread of coronavirus in the village. After clearing the doubt, the opposing locals supported the move of the panchayat.
An action plan was chalked by the panchayat under guidance of Dr Ghodkirekar, which would be submitted to Health Department and the government, for an approval to set up the centre.
At the beginning, the meeting witnessed some heated arguments over local body’s decision to convert panchayat hall into COVID Centre, which is located in heart of the village. But later, Dr Ghodkirekar cleared the doubts of the villagers.
With due discussions, following decisions were taken subject to modification on the advice of Civil/Health authorities for need to need basis that arises in future: The panchas will take initiative to create awareness in their respective wards under the guidance of sarpanch. They must identify places in their ward for temporary stay arrangement and the list of such places/premises, which the panchayat will submit to the Health authorities for permission to use such premises for stay of families during the home quarantine period. To start with, the community hall would be used for this purpose after necessary permissions.
To make available some basic support material for the residents such as at least one Pulse Oximeter in each ward to know if any person is needed to be shifted to the hospital or otherwise.
It was also decided to make PPE kits available in the wards which are required to handle the COVID patients, to make available transparent body bags for sudden death and to review the action plan on regular basis and modified accordingly.
Sarpanch Pandurang Gaude said, “This arrangement is made for the villagers only, as it takes two to four days time, to shift the COVID positive patients to the hospital and so this facility would help to keep the positive patient from village until the government shift them to the hospital. This would also prevent other family members of the patients from affecting the virus.”
