Panaji: After being criticized for lack of Oxygen in its facility, Goa government on Saturday commissioned 20,000 kilo litres capacity Oxygen tank at Goa Medical College and Hospital.
The Goa Bench of Bombay High Court had castigated the GMCH for lack of oxygen supply which had resulted in the deaths of COVID-19 patients during the dark hours of 2 am to 6 am.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told reporters on Saturday that a tank of 20,000 kilo litres capacity has been shifted from Bicholim Industrial Estate to the GMCH which will do away the dependency of this facility on the Oxygen cylinders.
He said that this is the third Oxygen tank that is commissioned in Goa, the two others being at South Goa District Hospital in Margao and Super Speciality Block of GMCH.
Sawant said that 550 COVID-19 patients are admitted in South Goa District Hospital while 350 are in the Super Speciality Block.
Sawant said that the positivity rate in the state has come down from 51 per cent to 35 per cent, which is a good sign. “This rate will be decreased further,” he said.
Responding to a question about deaths during dark hours, GMCH Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar said that it is not right to conclude that all the deaths had occurred due to dropping of Oxygen levels.
He also said that it is not right to identify these hours separately as deaths due to COVID-19 are happening during all the time of the day.
