NT NETWORK
Margao
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday said the South Goa District Hospital will begin operating as the new COVID Hospital tentatively from next Saturday i.e. on September 19.
Rane made the announcement on Saturday evening after holding a review meeting with doctors at the district hospital, which will begin as a 250-bedded facility. It will gradually be upgraded to its full capacity of 556 beds in a phased manner.
The Health Minister inspected the district hospital, and thereafter held the review meeting with doctors of the DHS, the ESI Hospital and the GMC as well as officials from the GSIDC.
Operations and services of the district hospital have been shifted back to the Hospicio Hospital to make way for the new COVID facility.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Rane said, “At the moment, 150 beds are ready. We will start it (the facility) as a 250-bedded COVID Hospital by next week. We will have another review meeting on Friday and most likely start it on Saturday.”
People with mild to moderate symptoms will be taken to the new COVID Hospital.
“Facilities for ITU and high dependence units will be set up. We will start with 250 beds, and based on the occupancy we will increase the capacity in a phased manner,” he said, maintaining that though the facility would be used as a COVID Hospital, the wider aim is to develop it as the district hospital.
Rane cleared the air on the top two floors of the district hospital, which have been earmarked for a nursing institute. He said that the top two floors could not be used for setting up healthcare facilities as they are designed for academic purposes including a lecture hall.
He also said that home-isolated patients from villages will be monitored.
“The kits that will be given to the home-isolated patients will be handed out from the PHCs. A person from each PHC will be assigned to keep a track and maintain data of the patient’s vitals like saturation levels,” Rane said.
