PANAJI
The Aam Aadmi Party has attacked Chief Minister Pramod Sawant-led government for ignoring the Covid frontline warriors and driving them to the point of despair.
Dr Mariano Godinho, chief of AAP’s Medical Cell and former government health officer himself, has expressed disgust at the state of affairs which led to the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) writing a public letter to the GMC Dean out of desperation. Reminding that AAP had demanded more than 10 days back that the government should appoint a nodal officer exclusively to resolve doctors’ issues expeditiously, Dr Godinho lamented that now both doctors and patients are suffering more due to the government apathy.
Dr Godinho said that the damning letter exposes a lot of serious issues that were sought to be covered up by the Health Minister and CM Sawant, including the most serious issue of oxygen shortage. Dr Godinho said the CM needs to immediately investigate the claim that patients have already lost their lives due to a shortage of oxygen, and ensure that the problem is immediately fixed. Dr Godinho said this is not the time for CM to do study tours or photo-ops at oxygen plants, and should instead personally monitor the officials to ensure they are getting results and not indulging in further bureaucratic delay which could cost more lives.
Rahul Mhambre, AAP Goa convener said that the CM, being a doctor himself, should volunteer at GMC Covid ward for just one day to understand the plight of the doctors revealed in the letter. He said it is unconscionable that that CM is bringing up the issue of funds when it comes to resolving the serious issues raised. Mhambre demanded to know whether the CM can’t spare even a few crores out of the Rs 300 crore given by the Centre for Liberation Day festivities, to support our frontline warriors in this crisis while they are saving the lives of Goans.
On the issue of shortage of doctors, Dr Godinho suggested that the government immediately recruit MBBS graduates with one year of internship to relieve the current doctors who are being stretched beyond their human limits. Dr Godinho added that it was shameful that even basic demands for CCTV and security guards for their personal safety have not been met yet. On the contrary, the government is allowing their VIP friends to throw their weight around and make things even more difficult for the already beleaguered doctors.
Dr Godinho said that Goa owes a debt of gratitude to GARD for raising the issues before a major calamity took place. AAP demanded that the CM and HM immediately have a joint press conference specifically on the issues raised in the letter and inform the Goan public on what action has been taken.
