In the last five years, around Rs 25,000 crore was spent on roads, bridges and other infrastructure in Goa. However, the government has neglected the State’s rural health system, leaving it in a dire straits. The report dated March 31, 2020 by the Comptroller Auditor of General (CAG) has flagged serious lapses in the health management system of Goa.
Although the period of CAG’s report is of 2022, O Heraldo in its survey has found that there was not much difference in the situation in these two years. In the recently concluded Assembly session, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant laid on the table of the House the CAG report. The report has highlighted serious concerns about the rural health situation in Goa.
According to CAG’s report, Goa did not have a human resource policy for PHCs. There were vacancies among doctors, nurses and paramedics to the extent of 17.5 per cent in North Goa district and 17.9 per cent in South Goa district under primary health care, and to the extent of 20.24 per cent in North Goa district and 18.75 per cent in South Goa district under secondary health care in the State.
It’s not just the PHCs. Even the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) is having a shortfall of doctors by 51 per cent, despite it being the only government tertiary care hospital in the State.
Vacancy of doctors ranged from 18.18 per cent to 81.25 per cent in the super-specialty departments of GMCH. ASHA workers who were the key health care personnel at grassroots level were not recruited in the State.
Is there any change in two years? To find the answer, we decided to visit the health centres in Sanguem Taluka to assess the current health care situation in rural Goa, and what we discovered was a shocking and alarming reality.
The lifeblood of any community lies in its ability to care for its sick, yet in Sanguem, this essential service is hanging by a thread. Across the taluka’s PHC, its 10 sub-health centres and the rural medical dispensaries, only three doctors are available to serve the entire population. These overburdened physicians rotate between the various centres, their schedules stretched thin, leaving many facilities unattended for much of the week.
The challenges faced by Sanguem PHC extend beyond emergencies. For those with chronic conditions like diabetes, regular treatment is a struggle. Patients needing daily insulin injections often have to travel long distances, sometimes as far as Quepem or the South Goa District Hospital, Margao to receive care. The journey is not only physically exhausting, but also financially draining. With many families unable to afford the repeated trips.
Residents have repeatedly voiced their concerns, but their pleas have largely fallen on deaf ears. The few doctors and nurses in the region are overworked frequently, doubling up on duties, and the strain is beginning to show. Despite numerous requests for additional staff and better facilities, little has been done to address the crisis, leaving the people of Sanguem feeling abandoned by those meant to protect them.
The shortage of permanent doctors and other healthcare workers is currently the most significant challenge for the State’s health department. The CAG report has revealed that over 500 positions for staff and officers remain vacant in the health department. Of the 508 sanctioned posts in the district health service, only 360 have been filled.
Similarly, the CAG report highlights that in the GMC, only 262 out of 650 sanctioned posts were filled by the end of 2022. Although there is little improvement in the situation over the past two years, it is not fulfilling the requirement.
Opposition party leaders also voiced their concerns about the State’s healthcare during the monsoon session of Goa Assembly. Sanguem with a population of around 70,000 is managed by only three doctors. The chief medical officer of Sanguem Health Centre claims that despite the unfilled positions, they are still providing adequate healthcare services to the community.
Although the CAG report is based on data of the previous two years, Opposition MLAs argue that the healthcare system is yet to improve. During the discussion of demands for grants for the current financial year, the opposition had alleged that the budget cuts were primarily affecting healthcare improvements. However, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and the Chief Minister assured the Members that there will be no decrease in providing health service to the people.
The Health Minister frequently claims that Goa’s health parameters are better than in any other State across the country. However, when comparing the urban and rural health systems, it becomes clear that the State’s rural healthcare still lags far behind.