VIKRAM NAYAK
VASCO
At a time when Dabolim Airport has screening facilities, which include thermal scanners and a team of doctors and paramedics, to check for symptoms of coronavirus, other modes of transport have been forgotten in the port town even though over 70 coronavirus cases have been reported in other states.
Railway station
While the Vasco railway station that has several interstate trains carrying thousands of passengers on a daily basis, there has been no measure or facility in place to monitor the arrival of passengers with symptoms of coronavirus.The Vasco railway station has no system to monitor and scan passengers who arrive in the port town. When contacted, Vasco Station manager Ramdas Gudemane said the railways had a medical unit which is in contact with the GMC and would send suspected passengers for further medical reference.
“As of now, no equipment or thermal scanner to check suspected coronavirus passengers has been installed at the station. We have not received any information to install any equipment or facility to check or coronavirus at the railway station,” admitted Gudemane.
“We have a medical unit near the railway station and if we feel there is a suspected passenger, we refer him to the medical unit, which could later refer him to the GMC hospital or Chicalim SDH,” said Gudemane.
When asked how would railways staff identify symptoms of coronavirus among passengers, Gudemane replied: “The staff have been identifying passengers found coughing while using the railway station.”
Bus stand
The situation at Vasco KTC bus stand was no different, with the bus stand having no screening equipment or a medical team to detect passengers with suspected coronavirus.
When contacted, Vasco MLA and KTC Chairman Carlos Almeida admitted there were no thermal guns, medical units or screening procedures at the Vasco bus stand, but said he would take up the matter with the health department.
“As of now, we don’t have health scanners or thermal scanners at bus stands. Our Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane is very proactive and I will soon taking up the issue of thermal guns and other measures to be taken up at KTC bus stands.”
“The health department can take necessary steps to set up scanners or a team of doctors stationed at bus stands to identify any passengers with suspected coronavirus,” added Almeida.
