Goa government lying outrightly, we lost loved ones not to Covid but to oxygen shortage, say relatives

PANAJI: The state government’s volte-face over the oxygen shortage that led to the deaths of at least 83 persons sparked an online furore. Netizens lashed out at the state government, particularly health minister Vishwajit Rane, who was the first to officially state that Covid patients were dying at the Goa Medical College due to oxygen shortage.
Goans and relatives of the Covid-19 victims accused the government of rubbing salt on their wounds at the behest of the Centre. In a written response in the state legislative assembly, Rane said, “At no point in time (did) the oxygen supplies at GMC run out of stock, and thus, no death has been reported to have (been) caused due to the non-supply of oxygen. No deaths have been directly attributed to the lack of oxygen. But definitely, consumption per patient increased due to the strain of Covid-19.”

On May 11, Rane held a press conference to announce that 26 Covid-19 patients died between 2am and 6am at GMC during the second wave due to drop in oxygen supply.
“Why (was) the health minister asking for inquiry for the deaths occurring during 1am to 2am? If it is not due to lack of oxygen, then why there was hue and cry for oxygen? Maybe the deaths at that time of the night were happening to accommodate the patients of his constituency,” said Emilia Fernandes on a social media platform.
Twitter user Rajesh Mudras did not appear surprised with the government’s denial and described it as a natural corollary when “people without mandate” form the government.
Not everyone shared the same restraint. Many called out the government and accused the chief minister and Rane of lying to the state.
“How could you be such an outspoken liar? With almost every proof of it available on media and print media, do you think people are fools? It’s salt on wounds of people who lost their loved ones not to Covid but to shortage of oxygen supply,” said Shamila Siddiqui.
TOI had reported that at least 83 persons were suspected to have died due to oxygenrelated issues between May 11 and May 15 while undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at GMC. CM Pramod Sawant, who had visited the Covid wards on May 11, had also hinted that there was oxygen shortage. “It looks like oxygen doesn’t reach the patients. I will not tolerate such acts which will lead to deaths of Covid patients due to oxygen shortage,” he had said immediately after his visit.
But on Friday, in written replies to three questions on oxygen-related deaths, Rane outrightly denied there were any deaths but went further and lauded the government.
“They have to stand by the words uttered in Parliament. How can they go against the high command? This is about the party not about the country or people, please understand. Those flights that arrived internationally with oxygen were not for shortages of oxygen,” said Judith Fernandes.
Many lampooned the state government for taking a uturn on the oxygen shortage issue. “Yup, all deaths were because of lack of carbon dioxide! Because, you know oxygen is readily available in the atmosphere. CO2 is not and this seems to be the logic,” said Capstron Pereira.
Entrepreneur Shruti Chaturvedi, one of the first citizen volunteers to put together relief measures and resources for Covid-19 patients, said the government appears to have no regards for families who lost someone due to lack of oxygen. “The shamelessness with which our elected representatives can go on record and lie is beyond you and me. They lie through their teeth, sit comfortably over dead bodies, make profits from every essential medicine sold, and win an election once they give donation for a football ground. I hope Goa remembers this,” said Chaturvedi.