SANGUEM/QUEPEM: For the past three months, Sanguem Primary Health Centre has been taking patients to the Curchorem Community Health Centre or South Goa District Hospital for X-rays, since they have the machinery but not the technicians. There are no technicians at both the PHC since the contracts of the previous X-ray technicians have not been renewed.
Quepem Primary Health Centre has extended the contract of the X-ray technician but he is available only on Tuesdays and Saturdays. On other days of the week, the PHC staff take patients to the Curchorem Community Health Centre or South Goa District Hospital, Margao (SGDH) or calls them on Tuesdays and Saturdays. People of Sanguem and Quepem who are at the receiving end, are demanding a full-time X-ray technician in both PHCs.
Avdhut Amonkar, a resident of Quepem stated, “We had come to meet the health officer, but he is not here. He is saying the X-ray machine is non functional for the last three years. We hear that it is repaired but no full time technician has been appointed. A technician visits here only on two days. We request the Health Minister to appoint a technician.”
“In case of an accident, the patient has to be taken to Curchorem or to SGDH Margao. There are many speed breakers on the way which causes severe pain to the patient while being transported,” Amonkar recounted.
Dr Socorro Quadros, Health Officer at PHC Quepem stated, “The delay in repairing the X-ray machine was because the part of the machine was not available. So the machine is now functioning. We don’t have a sanctioned post for a technician, but the technician from Curchorem comes here twice a week. We mostly use X-ray for patients with TB. We give appointments mostly on Tuesdays and Saturdays.”
“In case of emergencies, if we have accident cases, we do preliminary diagnosis and since we don’t have a technician, we recommend them to an orthopaedic in South Goa District Hospital,”Dr Quadros explained.