MARGAO
With no letup in the number of Covid cases, the 150-bedded ESI hospital, Margao on Thursday has almost reached a state of saturation.
While the hospital was packed to capacity earlier in the day, only eight out of the 150-bedded facility were remaining vacant by Thursday evening. After the discharge of a couple of patients, around 142 patients were still undergoing treatment in the hospital, with sources in the know saying the situation is heading towards a crisis with only eight beds remaining vacant in the hospital.
Sources pointed out that even though the ESI hospital has been made into a step down facility, in the absence of ICU and ITU facility, the hospital is presently playing host to patients with mild to moderate pneumonia.
While the State health authorities have dispatched four resident doctors from the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim to handle the patients, apart from the doctors and medical officers from the ESI hospital, sources said the hospital is awaiting the arrival of consultants, besides technical staff to meet the growing requirements.
ESI official pointed out that the increased number of patients have put a strain on the logistics and infrastructure in the hospital. “Unless some patients are discharged from the hospital after their recovery, we will be hard pressed to accommodate more patients in the next 24 hours. As of now, we will be able to handle only eight more patients in the hospital. Unless some patients get discharged, there’s no possibility of admitting more patients in the hospital,” the official said.
At the height of the Covid pandemic last year, the ESI Hospital had enhanced the bed capacity from 60 in the beginning to 210 when the hospital was notified as Goa’s lone Covid hospital in the State.
Officials said the ESI management will have no option than to further enhance the existing bed capacity to meet the crisis like situation.
While the South Goa district hospital is believed to have opened another floor in the hospital building for the rising number of patients, officials said the government should try and open the GMC super specialty block on top-most priority.
