With Covid surge, ESI hospital directed to gear up as back-up facility for patients

MARGAO
With 65 new Covid cases being detected at Margao and the bed strength at the South Goa district hospital coming under strain, the district authorities on Friday sent an SOS to the management of ESI hospital, Margao, to gear up to return to its last year’s role as a Covid hospital.

Presently, the ESI Hospital, Margao, which was shut down for Covid operations in Mid-December, 2020, was recently notified as a Covid care centre to house asymptomatic patients. However, with the South Goa district hospital reaching a point of saturation in the last two days, sources said the district authorities had a word with the ESI Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Vishwajit Faldesai to put in place the back-up facility in the hospital on an urgent basis in view of the surge in the Covid cases.

In fact, The Goan understands that the ESI may stop admitting asymptomatic patients immediately and ensure that those admitted are discharged after their recovery.

ESI Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Vishwajit Phaldesai informed that the health and district authorities have decided to utilise the ESI hospital as a full-fledged Covid hospital. “We are gearing up to throw open the ESI hospital as a Covid hospital. The hospital has already submitted the list of requirements, including the manpower requirements to the State government,” he said, adding that the hospital is all geared up to play its role as a Covid hospital once again.

At the peak of the Covid crisis last year, the ESI hospital had enhanced its bed strength, starting from 60 beds to 150 and later making the optimum use of the hospital premises to accommodate a whopping 210 patients at a time.

In the meantime, the number of Covid cases reported in the jurisdiction of Margao Urban Health Centre, has crossed the 700-figure mark on Friday. While the total cases stood at 660 on Thursday, the cases jumped to 725 cases on Friday, a spike of 65 new cases.

The number of asymptomatic patients admitted in the ESI hospital has come down to 35 on Friday after a couple of discharges.