PANAJI
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday announced a ban on the export of oxygen cylinders manufactured in Goa in view of the increased demand for oxygen due to the spike in Covid cases in the state.
Taking to social media, Rane declared, “Export on oxygen cylinders outside the state has been banned with immediate effect. All industrial oxygen requirements will be diverted towards the health services, Goa Medical College and Hospital and Covid hospitals. Necessary directions have been issued to Secretary Health to coordinate with the respective Collectors to issue an order under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 in public interest and to save people’s lives.”
Private agencies have also been roped in once again for patient handling, facility management and to provide dietary and nutrition requirements at GMC, South Goa District Hospital, ESI Hospital and Sub-District Hospital, Ponda.
The Health Minister further informed that the department has taken steps to increase the bed capacity to 50 beds at Asilo Hospital, 550 beds at SGDH and to activate ESI Hospital as a Covid Hospital with ITU and ICU facilities, facilities which will also be replicated at the SGDH. The ITU facility will also be extended to Sub-District Hospital in Ponda which will also be used as a Covid hospital.
