Goa: South doctors on Covid duty continue to stay in hotels

PANAJI: Doctors on Covid duty in South Goa who were told to vacate their accommodation on single basis in private hotels stayed put after the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) raised the issue of the government transferring them to Margao and Colva residencies on room-sharing basis.
The doctors were initially told they could continue their stay in hotels till Wednesday when a decision would be taken, but they have not received any further communication on the matter.The resident doctors had protested the move to shift them into residencies on sharing-basis stating that it put them and their colleagues at a higher risk.
They stated that they were disheartened by the order and said putting them in rooms on sharing-basis would increase the risk for infection and reinfection which would fail the purpose of the stay.
After the concern was raised, health minister Vishwajit Rane took to social media to say that he agreed with the association’s request. He further added that he took up the issue with the chief minister who assured him that instructions would be given to the collector to ensure single bedrooms are provided.
The doctors, nurses, MTS workers and technicians working at ESI Covid hospital and South Goa district hospital are currently accommodated at Hotel Laxmi Empire, Hotel Ginger, Hotel Go Goa, Hotel Apple Rosa in Margao and Hotel Williams Beach Retreat Pvt Ltd in Colva.
Following the letter from GARD to the dean of Goa Medical College and hospital, the South Goa collectorate has kept its orders in abeyance.
The collectorate had requisitioned 52 rooms in Hotel Laxmi Empire on July 21 as well as rooms of the other hotels. The collectorate then passed an order on October 16 relieving Hotel Laxmi Empire with effect from October 18. After GARD’s letter on October 17, the collectorate issued another order keeping all orders regarding the five hotels in abeyance until further notice.