15 more Covid-19 patients die at top Goa hospital

‘Deaths due to interruption in O2 supply’

◗ THE GOA bench of Bombay HC was told that some of the casualties may have taken place due to ‘logistical issues’ related to connecting O2 cylinders to large gas cylinders, and that resulted in interruption and drop in pressure of O2 to patients

Panaji, May 13: Fifteen more Covid-19 patients died at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in the early hours of Thursday, the state government told the Bombay high court, two days after 26 coronavirus patients had succumbed at the same facility here.

The Goa bench of the HC said state authorities told it some of the casualties may have taken place due to "logistical issues" related to connecting oxygen cylinders to the manifold (group of large gas cylinders) that resulted in interruption and drop in pressure in supply lines of oxygen to patients.

The HC observed that despite its order on providing medical oxygen to Covid-19 patients at the GMCH, there were 15 deaths during the dark hours of 2 am and 6 am in the government-run facility on Thursday.

The bench was hearing a bunch of petitions on the recent death of Covid19 patients at the GMCH allegedly due to lack of medical oxygen.

The HC said the Centre should ensure that the allotted quota of medical

oxygen is made available at the earliest to Goa, which is reporting a very high test positivity rate.

The bench, consisting of Justices Nitin W. Sambre and M.S. Sonak, said despite their May 12 order, the court sadly recorded that even today (Thursday), it is reported that there were almost 40 Covid-19-related casualties in the GMCH."

Out of these, around 15 took place between the dark hours of 2 am and 6 am, the court observed.

On Wednesday, the HC had said the availability of medical oxygen for Covid-19 patients at the GMCH was grim, and asked the state government to take corrective steps.

“From May 2, 2021

onwards, this is the position of casualties in the GMCH,” the bench said, referring to the deaths during the dark hours.

“Now today, again, we are assured by the learned Advocate General Davidas Pangam as well as the Health Secretary that there is no dearth as such of oxygen. They have pointed out that the Central government has now increased the (medical oxygen) quota for Goa, having regard to the overwhelming number of Covid-19 victims in the state of Goa,” the court said.

“On our query as to why the deaths have taken place last night, we were explained that there were logistical issues involved in maneuvering the tractor which carries the trolleys of oxygen and in connecting the cylinders to the manifold,” the court ruled.

The court asked the government to remove any deficiencies regarding supply of oxygen to patients.