Panaji: The Goa government on Friday announced restructuring of their COVID-19 treatment facilities by offering three of its wards in Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) to treat highly critical coronavirus patients, while two other hospitals will continue to take care of lesser ill symptomatic patients.
Briefing media, State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane also said that first two patients who were administered plasma therapy have been tested negative for the infection, after the treatment.
Goa has recorded more than 10,000 COVID-19 infections till Thursday with the number of cases rising every day. Rane said that 96 per cent of the patients who are detected positive for the infection are asymptomatic.
In a major decision on COVID-19 treatment front, Rane stated that three wards in GMCH would be specially designated to treat “highly critical” coronavirus positive patients.
“Even those extremely serious COVID-19 positive patients who are admitted in ESI hospital in Margao would be shifted at GMCH to be treated under supervision of expert doctors,” he said.
State government has already designed ESI hospital in Margao (South Goa) and Sub District Hospital in Ponda (North Goa) as COVID-19 treatment facilities.
The minister said that the new arrangement would help in reducing fatalities due to COVID-19 infection in the State.
Rane said that in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases, it has been made mandatory for general patients to undergo antigen testing before admitting them in the GMCH.
“We are not compromising on the safety of the patients at GMCH at any cost,” he said.
Speaking to reporters, Rane also warned the Housing societies of stern action against them, if they stigmatise the patients who are advised Home Quarantine by the Health authorities, after they test positive for the infection.
“I would like to tell all the housing societies that they should not stigmatise the COVID-19 positive patients. Government will take action against those housing societies which are working against the interest of such patients,” he said.
Rane also appealed people to celebrate upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival in a “personalized way.” “This is not a time for Ganesh Chaturthi. I have told my family, if possible, postpone the Ganesh Chaturthi to February,” he said.
