MARGAO
When will the district authorities shift the swab collection centre from the South Goa district hospital and pave way for the doctors manning the hospital to utilise the space for the benefit of Covid patients?
Close to a week now, officials manning the South Goa district hospital have been anxiously awaiting the authorities to shift the swab collection centre from the hospital. While the authorities had initially zeroed in on the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao premise to set up the swab collection centre, move to set up the centre at the Presentation Convent Higher Secondary School courted a bitter row, forcing the authorities to drop the place.
The authorities, sources said, are now toying with a proposal to set up the swab collection centre at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, but sports officials informed they are yet to receive a requisition order from the authorities till date.
Officials manning the South Goa district hospital, however, have been waiting with bated breath for the authorities to shift the swab collection centre on the plea such a move will help them to make optimum use of the space for Covid work.
“Once the swab collection centre is shifted from the district hospital, we want to implement a two-tier plan wherein Covid positive patients are screened at the first level and administered medication depending on whether they are symptomatic or asymptomatic. If they are asymptomatic, they will be told to go straight to the health centres and collect their home isolation kits. The asymptomatic patients will be monitored at two stages, one with oxygen level above and below 90,” the official said.
The hospital administration has plans to put some chairs as well as beds with oxygen facility for those whose oxygen level is below the parameter. “Only when the patient is monitored and observed for some time, a decision will be taken whether to admit in the hospital or not,” the official said, adding that the plan is not put into effect till date for the simple reason that the swab collection centre is still housed in the district hospital till date.
