MARGAO
There’s good news in store for the people of South Goa as the government has drawn up plans to start a cardiac facility at the South Goa district Hospital.
That’s not all. If the Health Minister is to be believed, the cardiac facility will materialise at the district hospital before the 2022 Assembly elections. He further said that along with the cardiac facility, other super specialties will also be added at the South district hospital in the coming days.
The Health Minister informed that the people of South Goa will no longer have to go to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim once the cardiac facility starts functioning. “The cardiac facility was planned as per the scheme of things. But, it was delayed due to the Covid situation”, he said, while assuring the people of South Goa that the BJP government will set up the cardiac facility before the coming elections.
In the absence of cardiac facility at the Hospicio hospital, patients are either referred to private-run super specialty hospitals or the GMC for cardiac treatment.
To another question, the Health Minister said that plans are afoot to increase the ICU facility at the South Goa district hospital. “Right now, we have around 5-7 ICU beds at the South district hospital. We plan to increase the number to 15-20 beds in due course of time to meet any exigencies apart from Covid”, he said.
When pointed out whether the oxygen facility at the South Goa district hospital is adequate to meet the growing requirement, he pointed out that the South district hospital has a liquid oxygen facility, including a 5000-litre capacity tank. “Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has pursued the matter with the concerned agencies and the district hospital will get another 5000-litre capacity. These two tanks will take care and handle any requirements in the future”, he added.
Asked whether children will be entitled for free anti-Covid doses, the health Minister said the government is guided by the protocol suggested by the experts, “it all depends on the protocol of Covid vaccination management”.
