PANAJI
Dr Shekhar Salkar of Manipal Hospital, Dona Paula on Saturday sought to point out that covering Covid-19 under the Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY) will add to the cases in private hospitals. He also underlined that such a scenario is not ideal in a cancer treatment facility such as Manipal Hospital as it would not be possible to handle the volume of patients.
Commenting on the recent revision of cap on charges for Covid treatment in private hospitals, Dr Salkar stated, “They should have called the representatives of all four hospitals and enquired if Covid treatment is possible in that amount of money. They are asking people who have never worked in the private medical sector. Then the care which is required for a Covid patient might not be given. But we have to comply with the government's orders.”
Explaining the issue of handling Covid patients at a cancer facility, he said, “Ours is a cancer hospital. There are people being given radiotherapy and chemotherapy. So, this is not practical for us. Money is a problem. In that amount, it is not possible to give good care. Covid patients need to be given the best treatment and only then will it bear a result. Otherwise the patient will die.”
He urged the government to consider giving a good price which is “reasonable and practical” if Covid treatment has to be covered under the DDSSY.
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GOA UPDATE
8 Covid deaths,
343 new cases
DEATH TOLL: 499
ACTIVE CASES: 4,658
RECOVERY: 32,777
PANAJI: Eight more people succumbed to Covid-19 in Goa taking the death toll to 499.
While four of the eight deaths occurred at Goa Medical College and Hospital in Bambolim, four were recorded at ESI Covid Hospital in Margao. The deceased include a 78-year-old man from Vasco, a 58-year-old man from Pernem, an 86-year-old man from Merces, a 75-year-old woman from Margao, a 51 year-old man from Mapusa, a 67-year-old man from Margao, a 68-year-old woman from Cortalim and a 67-year-old man from Curtorim.
Meanwhile, a total of 343 new cases of the infection were detected in Goa in the last 24 hours. With this, the total confirmed cases have touched 37,934. Of these, 4,658 are active cases and 32,777 have recovered.
