Margao: The Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, on Sunday, said that the government should provide all the facilities that are presently available at Goa Medical College (GMC) like Abbott’s RT-PCR testing machine, at South Goa District Hospital, which is expected to be functional as the third COVID hospital next week.
Sardesai urged the government to set up a COVID care centre on the top two floors of the district hospital.
Speaking to media persons in Fatorda, the Fatorda MLA said that there was a need to increase testing for COVID.
“In the current scenario, foolproof testing needs to be taken up. This can be done by installing another RT-PCR machine, like the one installed at the GMC, here at the South Goa District Hospital also. All facilities that are at the GMC have to be made available at the South Goa District Hospital. Today, RT-PCR test reports are received after two days instead of within two hours. By the time the patients receive reports, their condition has already worsened. Installing a testing machine similar to the one at the GMC at the district hospital will help,” he added.
While welcoming the Health Minister’s statement that the priority right now was only the treatment of COVID patients, Sardesai urged the government to set up a COVID care centre on the top two floors of the district hospital for the people of Fatorda.
“Everyone from across the state is being brought to COVID hospitals, which are in South Goa, but where should our own people from Fatorda be taken; we also want some space there. The top two floors should be made a COVID care centre for the people of Fatorda,” said Sardesai, adding that even though the floors were built for classrooms, there would not be much infrastructural changes needed and would only require beds to be put up.
The MLA was speaking after planting around 70 trees of Goan germplasm to celebrate Van Mahotsav.
He said that though the main focus was on COVID, there was also a need to “celebrate the biodiversity of our state and make Fatorda green and organic.”