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26 Covid patients die at Goa hospital; health minister calls for HC probe
Vishwajit Rane said these fatalities occurred between 2am and 6am, but did not elaborate on the cause even as chief minister Pramod Sawant said the reported oxygen shortage at the hospital was because of logistics of cylinder supply
Goa health minister Vishwajit Rane has sought a high court probe into what caused the death of 26 Covid-19 patients at the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in the early hours.
He said these fatalities occurred between 2am and 6am, but did not elaborate on the cause even as chief minister Pramod Sawant said the reported oxygen shortage at the hospital was because of logistics of cylinder supply.
Sawant, who visited the hospital and interacted with doctors, patients and staff, said these issues will be streamlined by this evening after he fixes responsibility on ensuring supply.
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“There is some mismanagement to help oxygen reach them, the cylinders have to be taken to the wards, the housekeeping. There needs to be a person in-charge (of oxygen cylinders) for each ward. This cannot be left to nurses. Oxygen is there, but it doesn’t reach the wards/patients. We will streamline the process. We will allocate work properly,” Sawant said.
“We have oxygen, but if the cylinder is not where it needs to be, then it might as well be said that there is no oxygen,” Sawant added.
The hospital, that is dealing with patients up to three times its bed capacity, has two means of supplying oxygen. Those who have beds get oxygen through the central piping system while those who are being treated on stretchers or are made to rest on the floor are given oxygen supply through cylinders that need to be replaced and refilled as soon as one runs out. However, the hospital has not had the manpower to ensure that the cylinder is replaced on time, leading to a drop in oxygen levels especially during the night hours.
Reacting to Sawant’s conclusion, health minister Rane said, “I do not understand what the chief minister means when he says there is mismanagement. Maybe he can guide me... The consumption (of oxygen) is unprecedented. We are also facing a shortage. Yesterday, we needed 1,200 cylinders but we got only 400.”
“We are seeing that there are a lot of deaths between 2am and 6am. There should be an inquiry, even the high court can inquire the deaths during those hours,” Rane said.
“Since 12.30 am, people in GMC Ward 147 were told oxygen would arrive in 10 minutes, only to arrive past 4am that too just four cylinders. I am surprised that even after so many deaths, health authorities are fine with their favourite oxygen suppliers using tractor trolleys [for transportation] and how no arrangements for adequate oxygen is made. Are the lives of people so cheap?” Congress leader Sunil Kawthankar, who has been coordinating relief efforts, said.
