26 COVID-19 patients died at GMCH due to oxygen shortage: Goa Health Minister

Panaji (Goa) [India], May 12 (ANI): As many as 26 COVID-19 patients died on Tuesday due to oxygen shortage at the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital, said state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane.

The Minister informed that on Monday the requirement of the hospital was 1200 jumbo oxygen cylinders of which only 400 were supplied, resulting in the shortage of oxygen.

Rane also said that the deaths and the reasons behind them should be investigated by the High Court.

Speaking to ANI here on Tuesday, Rane said, "26 COVID-19 patients died at GMCH between 2 to 6 am on Tuesday. The requirement of GMCH on Monday was 1200 Jumbo Oxygen Cylinders of which only 400 were supplied, resulting in a shortage."

"A three-member team of Nodal Officers set up by state govt to oversee COVID treatment at GMCH, should provide their inputs about the issues to the CM," he added.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had on Tuesday admitted that there was a delay in supplying oxygen to hospitals in Goa amid the surge in COVID-19 cases but had assured that the process will be streamlined.

"There is a delay in oxygen supply but we have availability, can't hold doctors' responsible for delay. For mismanagement, administration needs to be streamlined. I have monitored it personally, it will be streamlined by evening," Sawant had told ANI during his visit to the Goa Medical College.

"The hospital requires 400 jumbo cylinders but now provision would be made to get 600 cylinders," the chief minister had said.

He had also said that a liquid Oxygen storage tank with the capacity of 20 metric tonnes would be installed in GMCH within next 8-10 days.

To decrease the load on GMCH, Sawant said that beds at the Super Speciality Block would be increased by another 200.

He also said that the patients from GMCH would be shifted to Super Speciality Block. "Those patients who do not require oxygen would be shifted to the step up hospital set up at Dr Shama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium."

Meanwhile, Goa reported 3,124 new Covid-19 cases, 75 deaths and 2475 recoveries on Tuesday, as per the Goa Health department.

The Goa government has imposed a two-week curfew in the state till May 24. (ANI)