Ports Minister Michael Lobo on Monday made yet another partisan statement saying that only Government hospitals are well suited to care for COVID-19 patients. Goa Medical College and Hospital is the best there is.
Lobo claimed that the State Government had to withdraw the notice to include treatment for COVID-19 under the DDSSY as it would put undue pressure on private hospitals.
“The best treatment for Covid is in a government hospital. There is ESI hospital and then there are also the Covid care centers where patients are kept in isolation for a period of time. In these government hospitals, treatment takes place properly. GMC is the best. Every patient should go to GMC,” Lobo said.
Lobo’s flimsy statement was met with a contradiction when asked why his colleagues preferred to go to private hospitals when they were infected.
He replied saying, “Most of them took treatment in GMC. One or two may have gone to Manipal Hospital.”
He praised the quality of treatment given by the Government hospitals and said that they know the right course to take for the treatment. He also blamed the patients for coming in late.
“The government doctors know the exact treatment to be adopted. A lot of our friends have become alright and returned home.”
When asked about the number of deaths of COVID patients in Government hospitals due to lack of ventilators, supplemental oxygen, and other facilities he replied.
“The deaths have happened because patients come to the government hospitals at the last minute. People go to private hospitals first and when things get worse for them there they are rushed to the GMC.”
“Everyone will run to private hospitals. Since private hospitals have hardly 20 beds reserved for Covid treatment it would put stress on their facilities,” he said.
The State Government removed the treatment of COVID from the DDSSY to allegedly reduce the pressure on their infrastructure.
