Panaji: While expressing sadness over death of 35 people due to COVID-19 infection in the state, Goa’s Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on the floor of the House said that the state is witnessing a good recovery rate, due to the treatment provided by it to the infected patients.
Rane was speaking on the floor of the House during one day long Session on Monday, which passed the Budget for the State.
“Goa government is one of the few governments which has been following best practices in order to control the pandemic,” he said. “We are sorry for 35 deaths that have taken place due to coronavirus,” he commented during his 15 minute speech on the floor of the House.
The minister said that state has tested 1.21 lakh people of which 8.11 per cent has tested positive for the infection.
He said that the recovery rate of the patients is 65 per cent, which is significantly good, while mortality rate is one of the lowest in the country.
Rane thanked all the “frontline workers and doctors who are working putting their life at risk.”
Taking on the opposition benches, Rane said that the opposition should always come with constructive suggestions.
“It is very easy to criticize. Pandemic and covid19 did not come in a very planned manner. It has taken world by surprise,” he commented.
The minister said that SOP adopted by Goa government are the best and were designed keeping in mind interest and safety of the locals.
“Goa’s testing rates is one of the highest per million in the country.
We have also evolved as things are moving forward. When there was lockdown was situation was different. Dealing with lockdown is not very easy,” he said.
“Goa cannot be insulated with what is happening globally. We have not taken break even for a single day,” he said adding that state government is “equal treatment” to all the patients.
Rane said that COVID-19 is not going to go so fast. “COVID-19 is going to be here for some time. We are adding more machines to increasing testing facilities,” he said.
Talking on the floor of the House, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that COVID-19 is a puzzle for the entire world.
As a part of covid management, Sawant said, the state government faced several challenges including sending back the migrant workers,
Providing essentials during lockdown, bring back Seafarers and Goans stranded abroad and outside the state and others.
Sawant said that the state has put up best health infrastructure to fight back COVID-19. “We have not charged anyone for covid-19 treatment. We have been providing free of cost service. Don’t expect 5 star treatment from us,” he commented.
