Twenty-six coronavirus patients succumbed at the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital in the early hours of Tuesday, as mentioned by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane. The minister also sought an investigation to find out the exact cause. The fatalities occurred between 2 am and 6 am but did not divulge much about the cause.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the "availability of medical oxygen and its supply to COVID-19 wards in the GMCH might have caused some issues for the patients". He stressed that there is no scarcity of oxygen supply in Goa.
Rane admitted to reporters the shortfall in supply of medical oxygen at the Goa Medical College and Hospital as of Monday.
"The high court should investigate the reasons behind these deaths. The high court should also intervene and prepare a white paper on oxygen supply to the GMCH, which would help to set the things right," the state Health Minister said.
Rane said the medical oxygen requirement of the facility as of Monday was 1,200 jumbo cylinders of which only 400 were supplied. "If there's a shortfall in the supply of medical oxygen, the discussion should be held about how to bridge that gap," he said.
"Doctors, who are busy treating patients, cannot spend their time in arranging logistics like oxygen. I will hold a meeting immediately to set up ward-wise mechanisms to ensure that oxygen is supplied to patients in time," Sawant told news agency PTI.
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