Goa’s health infrastructure crumbles as state crosses 1,000 deaths

PANAJI: The state’s fledgling healthcare infrastructure was on the verge of collapse as Goa witnessed a record 2,293 fresh cases and 24 deaths on Sunday.
As the state’s death toll crossed the grim 1,000-mark milestone and with a test positivity rate of almost 40%—two of every five tests positive—the healthcare system is unable to deliver even the basics like accessible testing, results on time, and adequate monitoring of patients in home isolation.
“People don’t get a report for five to seven days. So, we have cases rising and mortalities going up at an alarming level,” a government doctor said.
With an average 17 daily deaths and infections spreading across the state, health experts raise serious questions about the state’s preparedness in handling the pandemic.
Beds are full, and the waiting period at the casualty of the South Goa district hospital can go up to six hours. People who can’t afford to test at a private facility either visit a government hospital or wait till the nearest government primary health centre opens. Health centres are closed for testing on Sundays. Only the flu OPD is open 24x7, the government doctor said.
But chief minister Pramod Sawant sought to explain the surge as a “clearance of backlog”. “The increased number of Covid-positive cases today (Sunday) is due to the clearance of backlog, and the same is expected to continue for the next two days,” he said.
Goa conducted almost 6,000 tests on Sunday.
“Home isolation monitoring has really become a joke,” a senior government doctor said.
One of those who died on Sunday was a 25-year-old man with no comorbidities. He was in home isolation for 10 days and was shifted to hospital in a critical condition. He died less than half an hour after treatment started. In fact, as many as seven of those who succumbed on Sunday died within 24 hours of admission.
An illustration of the state’s failed home isolation system was during the Margao municipal polls, when candidate Arthur D’Silva, who was Covid-positive, was caught canvassing for votes. An FIR was later filed against him.
“We were not prepared for the second wave to hit in such a severe way. The virus is very virulent and has been progressing faster. The worry is healthcare workers collapsing, getting infected and being morally down,” said senior pulmonologist and past IMA president Dr Anil Mehndiratta.
The government has finalised a new standard operating procedure for Covid patients, after health secretary Ravi Dhawan had a meeting with health experts on Saturday, where it was decided that treatment of a patient who got tested will be started without his test result. But this new protocol is yet to come into force.
Dr Praveen Bhat, a senior pulmonologist and director of Horizon hospital, Margao, said the message must be “loud and clear” that people should get themselves tested at the earliest.
“Patients with non-classic symptoms like backache or body pain or just feeling unwell delay getting tested. Having Covid-19 does not necessarily mean cough and fever,” Bhatt, who was part of the expert committee chaired by Dhawan, said.
Another expert said that “estimating a possible rise in cases during the next three weeks, the state should not only break the chain of infection, but on a war-footing make oxygen beds available along with adequate manpower”.
GMC dean and in-charge of the state’s Covid hospitals, Dr S M Bandekar, said that they’re aiming to open the super-specialty block with 500 beds for Covid patients on May 1. Bandekar said that they would “manage” the manpower shortage by posting doctors from other departments, while more nurses will be hired on a contract basis.
Pathologist Dr Anan Jaiswal said that everyone took things casually after the first wave ended. “Only the mask will protect, and the government should have dealt with defaulters with an iron hand. Instead, the government was sending out mixed messages to people, trying to protect tourism,” he said.
A senior health official said that the district collectors should invoke the disaster management plan. “This way, all the IMA doctors, army and navy doctors can also come on board and the government would have control of the situation,” he said.
Sawant, who had a meeting with IMA representatives on Saturday, has requested them to help in terms of manpower. He told them to manage the MPT-Covid hospital. The IMA is expected to respond on Monday.
However, a Panaji citizen said the government shouldn’t have the audacity to attribute deaths to people coming in late.
“It is ridiculous and irresponsible for the government to say this. If the test results don’t come on time, how can you blame deaths on the people coming in late?” she asked.