Panaji, 5 May

In the aftermath of the tragic death of six devotees in a stampede, the Goa health department has announced the phase-wise implementation of a "code red" system in hospitals to ensure swift response to emergencies.

State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Sunday that the code red protocol will be implemented at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and later in district hospitals and the Super Speciality Hospital.

After visiting the injured devotees at GMCH, Rane said two to three patients are in critical condition. While two among them have responded positively to treatment, close monitoring is needed.

Six devotees were killed and about 70 injured in a stampede that occurred in the wee hours of Saturday during the annual Sree Lairai Devi temple festival in Shirgao village in North Goa.

Rane said "code red" is an internationally-established emergency response protocol.

"Code Red protocol activates automatically during medical emergencies in hospitals. You don't need to wait for any department or individual to respond. Under this system, multi-disciplinary doctors are immediately engaged to ensure quick and necessary decisions," he said.

The health minister further said the system will be implemented in three phases, starting with GMCH.

He exuded confidence in the mechanism to deal with emergencies more effectively.

Rane said he visited the injured devotees and discussed the treatment protocols with treating doctors.

"I told doctors that the government will immediately act on any demand for engaging specialists from any part of the country to treat the injured persons or backup systems needed to stabilise patients," he added.