The state government has apparently spent Rs 117 crore on the covid-19 pandemic to date, and with so many expenses put in, the common man is puzzled how the state’s medical infrastructure, despite all this expenditure, still cannot cope up with the daily cases being recorded.
It has been reported that the state government to date has spent around Rs 117 crore on the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the data obtained, it is being understood that the majority of the money has been utilized by the Health Department. The money, about Rs 72.34 crore, has been used for the procurement of medicines and other related equipment.
The next big spender from the list is the state’s apex hospital, the Goa Medical College, with about Rs 44 crore spent on covid-19 relief work.
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Most of this pandemic expenditure, as pointed out, has been done on an urgent basis, and as such, the sanctions from the cabinet were obtained post-facto after placing the bills to them.
About 40% of the finances that have been utilized have come directly from the state’s pockets, while the rest have been obtained through either the District Mineral Fund – a fund actually meant for mining dependent livelihoods – and the other from the central government allotted funds.
With over a hundred crores spent to date, how it is that facilities at Goa’s government-run hospitals and covid-care centers, besides a few maintained ones, continue to be poor with several mismanagements? Apathies to the public citizens are only growing by the day, with deaths raising a questionable situation of the state’s fight against the covid-19 pandemic.
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The state government, in the name of providing covid-19 relief and arrangements, has used crores of money, however, the ground reality of the situation at government hospitals catering to covid-19 treatment is not up to the mark, if not very poor.
Several instances of beds running out and patients having to spend nights on the floor or on hard metal stretchers and even wheelchairs have surfaced, and despite the money spent, the arrangements for medical infrastructure continues to be very poor.
Last week it even surfaced that noted Dr. Mario Godinho, a general practician from Margao, had to spend the night at GMC on a stretcher. He passed away a week later at a private hospital.
This had caused widespread anger among not just civil society, but also the medical fraternity as many questioned the availability and type of treatment one gets at the state’s top hospital.
The crores of money spent on medical equipment that the government claims, fails to be actually seen on the ground, as patients have had to go through much trouble to even get access to a bed at GMC. The condition at South Goa’s ESI hospital and Ponda Sub-district hospital however continue to be on the brighter side, with no such great scale mismanagement having surfaced.
Furthermore, patients continue to die due to covid-19, the majority at GMC; some either due to late arrival, or others due to inadequate facilities at the hospital.
According to sources majority of the severely ill and worst affected covid patients are brought to GMC, and as such, fatalities at the hospital are on the higher side. Many even arrive at the hospital late, and as such doctors cannot really do much as the virus has already severely affected the lungs, rendering much medical treatment in vain.
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Deaths in the state continue to mount with total figures standing at 460, the majority of them at the GMC hospital itself. The shortage of beds, according to doctors, also arises as most of the severely ill need to be hospitalized for at least about a fortnight to enable all parameters are stable, and as such severe shortage of beds is felt. On a daily basis, GMC sees about 25-30 new admissions a day in the covid section.
Also, despite the high expenditure, the supply of oxygen and other medical requirements continues to be facing a shortage, with several patients having to experience problems due to a shortage of oxygen cylinders, and in some cases even non-functional ventilators.
With such gross mismanagements, many mildly covid people have preferred opting for home isolation rather than covid care centers. According to daily statistics, the total home isolation patients have crossed 16,000; i.e. almost half of the total cases seen to date in the state.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has assured that the covid care centers will not be closing down and they will continue to function, afters certain rumors made rounds that the government is planning to shut down the centers.
The government had also made plans to purchase more ambulances as a severe shortage of vehicles was felt, as some were being diverted for covid related duty. However, nothing has materialized to date, while ambulances continue to face extensive pressure with many having to undertake increased trips.
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Also, the proposed home isolation kits, announced a month ago, will be distributed to home isolated positive patients beginning today, October 6.
Meanwhile, the state’s total cases have crossed the 35,000 mark, with recoveries crossing 30,000.
