Panaji: Indian Medical Association’s Goa Unit on Monday took strong objection to Goa government’s recent directives to reserve 20 per cent of the bed capacity in private hospitals for COVID-19 management.
State government, last week, had issued a circular asking the private hospitals with ICU to reserve 20 per cent of their bed capacity for COVID-19 care management.
IMA Goa unit president Dr S Samuel has said that his association and association of private nursing home are pained by the decision forced down the throat of private doctors by the government.
He said that the state government should not consider the private hospitals in coronavirus care management as “government facilities are yet to be fully utilized.”
Samuel said that it is important that the COVID-19 positive patients should be segregated from non-covid patients suffering from ailments related to kidney, cancer and other patients.
He said that the metro cities across India opted for private facilities only when government run capacities had exhausted.
Samuel said that state government’s decision to utilize private doctors in covid care centres amounts to stressing of the available resource as the patients are asymptomatic and modern telecommunication devices can be utilized to monitor the non-symptomatic patients with pulse oxymetre and can be shifted if need be.
The IMA has also said:
- Antigen Testing:
- To be utilized for contact tracing in hotspot and healthcare facilities, will help in controlling immediate spread due to fast results and rapid control with saving of money following ICMR guidelines.
- If the patient is suspected but comes negative on rapid antigen and high risk, there should be RTPCR repeated after the antigen test.
- High Level Committee of Doctors under Chairmanship of director of health to be formed with following members
- Epidemeologist
And HOD of microbiology ,
HOD Dept of medicen,
HOD Preventive and Social Medicine,
HOD Anesthesia/Intensive Care,
HOD Pulmonary Medicine,
HOD Obstetrics & Gynecology,
HOD Pediatrics,
Private Sector: Dr. Marzook Sheikh( microbiology)Dr. Rajesh Naik (medicene )Dr. Anil Mendiratta/Dr. Pravin Bhat( pulmonologist)Dr. Milind Naik (intensivist)Dr. Kedar Phadte(obg)Dr. Shivanand Gauns(paediatric)Dr. Samuel (IMA)/Dr. Milind Colvalkar(APNH)
- The committee should meet every 15 days for framings the guidelines.
- Smaller Committee can meet as and when required.
iii. The committee will report to CM directly.
- A committee to study the cases that have come till now to compare with the survey conducted in April for the entire state to come out with relevant findings to help in the control of Covid.
- Study five year data for all-cause mortality in the relevant period of Jan till August in last five years to be compared with the present situation.
- Standardization of contact tracing protocols, that burden of testing is controlled
- A study towards the shifting of patients from CCC to CH could be instituted to understand relative benefits of Home Quarantine.
- Home Quarantine:
- 25% to 30% non-symptomatic patient can be kept at home specially in case of 15-45 age group with no comorbidities provided they fulfill the criteria
- Home Infrastructure
- Care Taker
iii. Understanding of disease.
- Movement of such patients will be less and food and home care is best, psychological support will help faster recovery.
Our sincier request to the government to withdraw this draconian order with immidiet effect
