MARGAO
Government’s decision to fall back on the 210-bedded ESI hospital, Margao may help create additional beds in the wake of the surge in Covid cases.
Questions, however, are being raised in health circles why the government is not fully utilising the South Goa district hospital premises, whose bed strength can be easily increased to 700-800 to meet any emergency situation.
Officials in the know informed that the government should first utilise the South Goa district hospital’s top two floors, which was earlier earmarked for a nursing institute, but has now been apparently reserved to house a private medical college.
Senior officials involved in the construction of the South Goa district hospital told The Goan that the district hospital building was initially designed as an 800-bedded hospital for the benefit of South Goa. Even assuming that the government does not want to touch the top two floors of the district hospital building, the building has an inbuilt capacity to accommodate 500 patients.
A senior official told The Goan that the entire district hospital building can be thrown for a Covid hospital if the government has the will to do so. In the event of utilising the entire building, the authorities will be in a position to accommodate around 600-700 patients on all the floors at any given point of time.
Officials maintained that housing Covid patients under one roof has several advantages, including infrastructure and logistics. “Housing the Covid patients in a single building will help the authorities by way of logistics and infrastructure, including treatment of Covid patients under one roof, pantry, besides the police for security duties,” remarked an official.
The official added: “The government can fall back on the ESI hospital in an emergency situation in the event the South Goa district hospital reaches a point of saturation after accommodating 500-odd patients at any point of time.”
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has on Friday announced the government’s decision to house Covid patients at the ESI hospital, Margao as the South Goa district hospital was playing host to 309 Covid patients on Friday.
Sources say the government can still enhance the South Goa district hospital by another 150-200 without much of a problem before moving patients in the ESI hospital.
