The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP government over the deteriorating condition of the Ponda Sub-District Hospital, formerly the Infectious Disease '(ID) Hospital', warning of a public agitation if the facility is not upgraded to a super-speciality hospital.
AAP leaders Sandesh Teleikar Dessai and Minu Gawade visited the hospital on Monday and reported severe deficiencies in infrastructure and staffing.
At a press conference, AAP Goa President Valmiki Naik, Senior Vice President Teleikar-Desai, and Curti leader Minu Gawade accused the government of “complete neglect” of the hospital.
Naik highlighted shocking figures presented in the Assembly earlier this year, revealing 110 vacant posts at the hospital, including critical positions such as Medical Superintendent, surgeons, radiologists, and lab technicians.
“How is this hospital even functioning?” he asked, pointing out the absence of essential services like CT scan, ICU, and blood bank facilities.
Teleikar-Desai described long queues at the pediatric and gynecology OPDs, citing a severe shortage of doctors. He presented photographs showing unhygienic toilets, deserted hospital floors, and a dialysis centre “looking more like a godown.”
He accused the BJP of betraying Ponda residents, noting that the hospital serves as a crucial hub for surrounding villages far from GMC.
Gawade underscored the collapse of healthcare services, citing a 400% rise in patient referrals to GMC over three years”from 834 in 2022 to 3,251 in 2025. “This clearly shows the failure of the system,” she said, adding that crores were spent on constructing a four-storey building that lacks basic medical facilities.
AAP demanded immediate recruitment of doctors and staff, installation of essential equipment, and full upgradation of the hospital to super-speciality level. The party warned that failure to act would trigger a people’s movement against the government.
