Swab testing machine for Verna industrial workers facilitates reports in 24 hours

MARGAO: A Covid testing machine for testing swab samples exclusively of industrial workers from the Verna industrial estate has begun functioning from the South Goa district hospital. Reports of samples, which would otherwise take several days, are now made available within 24 hours.
Goa Small Industries Association (GSAI) president Damodar Kochkar said the facility has been set up through the contribution made by the Verna Industries Association. “The testing machine has been sponsored by a firm having operations in the Verna industrial estate. Two microbiologists have also been provided by the association for conducting the tests,” he said.
A swab collection kiosk is already functional in the industrial estate since the last three months. It is manned by a three-member medical team from the Sancoale ESI dispensary, headed by Dr Sunil Kavlekar. Now, with the machine installed, samples collected at this centre are sent to the South Goa district hospital testing centre and the reports are made available the next day.
A vacant industrial unit in the industrial estate has also been placed at the disposal of the South Goa district administration to be used as a Covid care centre for infected industrial workers. “The South Goa collector inspected the premises yesterday and indicated his approval. The premises will be available to accommodate 100 beds,” Kochkar said.
While all other facilities at the proposed Covid care centre, including meals, will be provided by the Verna Industries Association, housekeeping and medical services will be provided by the state health department, as per the arrangement agreed upon.
“The Covid care centre will benefit all under-privileged industrial workers who are unable to arrange for their own accommodation for self-quarantining if detected positive but are asymptomatic. For other employees, we have identified hotels which they can use for quarantining themselves,” Kochkar said.
Verna industrial estate houses over 400 units employing nearly 40,000 workers. As is protocol, every employee whose swab sample is drawn is asked to stay in home quarantine or at an isolation facility until their test report is obtained.
While the situation at the Verna industrial estate is now seemingly under control, sources said that detection of several cases in a nearby slum-like area has put the administration on alert mode. Sources said that a demand by locals for sealing the area, or declaring it as a containment zone, is gaining ground.