It’s now months since the government had disclosed plans to establish an Ayush district hospital on the sprawling land on the Curtorim-Macazana border, which once housed the state’s leprosy hospital.
The move was part of a plan to set up two Ayush district hospitals in North and South Goa as per the central government scheme “ thanks of Minister for Ayush, Shripad Naik.
The ground reality, however, remains unchanged. A visit to the leprosy hospital site revealed that nothing has changed on ground since the government announced plans to set up the Ayush hospital on the vast areas on the Curtorim-Macazana border. The buildings, which once served the leprosy hospital, including the male and female wards, which were inaugurated in the early 80’s by then Health Minister, Dr Wilfred de Souza and then Agriculture Minister Francisco Sardinha, are lying in ruins. The hospital premises no longer provides accommodation for the handful of leprosy patients, who have since been shifted to the TB sanatorium atop Moti Dongor, Margao. The cemetery inside the premises wears a deserted look for want of any maintenance.
Educationist and member of the Curtorim bio-diversity panel, Gromiko Fernandes said the government decision to set up the Ayush hospital on the government property had come as welcome news for the locals, but lamented that the announcement has not been followed by any action.
“The whole area will get a facelit if the Ayush hospital takes shape in the hospital premises. Along with the hospital, the vast area can be developed to set up institutions, which will benefit the local populace as well,” he said.
Former Curtorim deputy sarpanch and panch, J Santano Rodrigues blamed the health authorities for the sorry state of affairs at the leprosy hospital premises.
“Buildings constructed at the cost of the government exchequer are lying in ruins. The entire area has turned into an eyesore. An Ayush hospital is welcome in the village, but at the same time since the area is huge, part of the property can be utilized to set up infrastructure benefitting the three villages of Curtorim, Macazana and Guirdolim,” he said, while lamenting that a plea made by the local Curtorim panchayat to allot land admeasuring 2,000 sq mts to set up a waste sorting station had failed to find favour with the Director of Health Services.
When The Goan called up the Director of Health Services, Dr Sanjeev Dalvi to shed light on the government plan on the land housing the leprosy hospital, he said an Ayush hospital will take shape on the hospital premises.
“Since the land in question is a huge land belonging to the government, we plan to utilise a portion to house the hospital. Setting up of the hospital will also help put a halt to encroachments on the government land,” he said.
To a question, Dr Dalvi said the leprosy hospital was closed down after the shifting of the three-odd patients to the TB sanatorium at Margao. “These patients have been cured of the disease, but they have preferred to stay put at the hospital for fear of not been welcomed at home”, he added.
