Tony: People dying, but MLAs will wake up when kin are hit

PANAJI: Chief minister Pramod Sawant had to visit Goa Medical College and hospital (GMC) and intervene as the health minister Vishwajit Rane failed in his duties. The CM should have immediately suspended the person responsible for upkeep of the centralised oxygen pipeline at GMC, BJP’s Santa Cruz MLA Antonio Fernandes said.
“MLAs are all sleeping in their homes when they should have been attending to Goans suffering from Covid-19. They will learn only when their own family members will get affected,” he said on Wednesday.
“When the pandemic first appeared on the scene, we had brought the issue of corroded pipeline for oxygen supply at GMC to the notice of the authorities. We weren’t prepared, resulting in the present grave situation. And today a blame game is on following rising deaths. It makes me cry the manner in which GMC doctors and other staff are stressed out and running around to keep patients alive,” said Fernandes.
He said the hospital is overloaded with 80 persons packed in a ward meant for 30 to 40.
“The oxygen pipeline is 30 years old. Shouldn’t someone have looked into this? Not just Covid patients, major operations are on hold because there is no oxygen supply available. A young boy brought in by Glenn Ticlo has injured his spine but cannot be operated at present and runs the risk of being paralysed,” said Fernandes.