Alerted by inflating death tallies in the state, the Goa administration has laid out new standard operating procedures for COVID patients. According to the new protocols, infected individuals who do not require external oxygen support will also be admitted to hospitals, to be kept under continuous observation of the doctors. On Tuesday, 2,814 individuals tested COVID positive in Goa and 52 lives were lost due to the deadly virus.
Step-up facilities to look after & monitor moderately ill patients
After deliberations amongst the top health officials on Tuesday, the new guidelines shall be functional in primary medical centres very soon. “Patients who do not require oxygen can be kept (there) and treatment can be given. Two more step-up hospitals in Chicalim and Cansaulim will be operational by May 5. Also, such hospitals can be set up one in each block, at Pernem, Bicholim, Valpoi, Canacona and Curchorem,” the Chief Minister said on Wednesday.
As per records, 204 lives has been lost in the past 4 days and one of the major reasons attributed to this perturbing count is the late hospitalisation of patients. In order to avoid this lag and assure required medical assistance, the patients will be lodged at the step-up facilities for regular monitoring. The largest ‘step-up’ facility will be instituted at Dr Shama Prasad Mukherjee stadium, which was named as a COVID care centre earlier.
Deputy collectors to inspect & assess the functioning of step-up facilities
“The doctors of the concerned public health centres and community health centres will come together to operate such hospitals. Collectors and Deputy Collectors will arrange the logistics for setting up such hospitals and also ambulances or school buses for transportation of patients,” stated the Chief Minister. He added that the health of home quarantined individuals must be supervised regularly and they must be shifted to hospital as soon as their condition degrades.
With a cumulative count of 1,00,902 COVID affected individuals and 1,372 deaths recorded to date, Goa stands shrouded amid the dire effects of the second COVID wave. Presently, the tally of active patients stands at 26,731 while 5,860 recoveries were marked in the past 4 days.
