CURCHOREM: The Curchorem Community Health Centre (CHC) is sick and in dire straits. The ambulance service at the hospital is like Swiggy, delivering patients to SGDH or GMC, since there are no doctors in certain specialisations. The CHC does not have a gynaecologist and orthopaedist; hence patients are forced to be transported to South Goa District Hospital and GMC. Also there is no paediatrician and diabetologist.
The CHC was inaugurated hurriedly a little over six months ago after people took out a morcha, demanding the hospital be opened at the earliest. But now social workers and Congressmen who visited the CHC on Saturday and met the Health Officer Dr Megha Kudcharkar said, “There is leakage everywhere including the ceiling. The window panes are broken.”
They said, “There is no canteen to supply food to the patients and their relatives.”
The work by the PWD is still going on and the health centre has not been handed over to the Health Department.
Balkrishna Hodarkar, Councillor, of Curchorem Cacora Municipal Council (CCMC) said, “This building is just six months old, have you seen the leakage and the broken panes? If this is the condition of the building now, what will happen in future? We are asking that the hospital be completed soon and handed over to the Health Department, so that the sufferings of the patients can be alleviated.”
He sarcastically remarked, “The ambulance driver is like Swiggy. They register the patient, take him/her on transit to South Goa District Hospital or to GMC. He is like a Swiggy or Amazon distributor. The health officials admitted that there were shortfalls in the functioning of the hospital and the higher authorities will be notified.”
Parag Sabnis said, “In our conversation with the health officer, she has assured us that she would address the issues raised by us. When we staged a morcha for the opening of this hospital, we had hoped for the best. Although this is a new building the facilities now are worse than before. There is no gynaecologist, the CHC also lacks an orthopaedic in case of accidents. The specialists who can reach out to patients in emergencies, are not available here.”
“There are not even minimum facilities here. There is no cardio-ambulance here. This hospital has to cater to Sanguem, Curchorem, Sanvordem and half of Dharbandora. But this hospital has not made a difference, since people have to go to South Goa District Hospital or GMC. So I appeal to the Chief Minister and the Health Minister to keep their promise of bhivpachi garaz nam, radpachi garaz nam (there is no need to fear, there is no need to cry),” Adv Harshad Desai said.
Regarding leakages and other maintenance, a meeting was conducted with GSIDC officials in June. The Chief Minister in presence of the Health Minister on the day of inauguration already declared this health centre as sub district hospital level and the process for that has already started. Once all formalities and approvals are completed, the demand for specialist doctors, more staff and various equipment, will be fulfilled. Right now dialysis unit and mortuary facilities are available to the people, which was the need of hour, said CCMC chairperson Pradeep Naik.