the goan I network
QUEPEM
With a medical officer recently proceeding on maternity leave, the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Cacora-Curchorem has been hit by a shortage of medical officers and only two medical officers have to take care of Casualty as well as OPD and other services.
The problem is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, with the health officer admitting that the process to post additional doctors at the CHC could take at least two months.
The Shivyoddha Sangarsh Unit (SSU) of South Goa recently submitted a memorandum to the CHC Health Officer Dr Mohanrao Dessai, expressing concern over the situation.
SSU President Christanand Pednekar said that the existing doctors have been overburdened with work, while patients have been facing hardships as they have had to suffer in queues for hours to seek treatment.
Demanding an urgent solution to address the shortage of medical officers at the Curchorem-Cacora CHC, the SSU also accused the health officer of failing to resolve the issue despite bringing it to his attention in the
past.
“It seems authorities have shown no urgency in solving the problem and they are playing with the sentiments of sick people,” said Pednekar.
“On one hand, the government claims to be providing people of Goa with quality care, trained healthcare professionals and best patient outcomes and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has even said he is working towards a vision of a healthy Goa. But if one looks at the ground realities, only hollow promises wrapped in gold lining are visible,”
said Pednekar.
Vinesh Prabhudessai said there are supposed to be four Medical officers but at present there are only two of them in the CHC.
“The patients are not the only ones to face hardships due shortage of doctors. The two medical officers at the CHC are also affected as due long working hours and without any break, but they have been working without any complaint and have been serving the patients. It looks like the health officer has given up on the demand for 2 additional medical officers, said Prabhudessai.
Added Pradeep Velip: “Just few days back, authorities launched an additional Community Diabetes Centre at Curchorem. When they don’t have enough doctors to take care of the sick, why are they fooling the people?”
SSU member Dayanand Pawar said the shortage of doctors at government hospitals was unjustified especially when so many doctors pass out from Goa Medical Collage each year.
“The Government must prepare some guidelines so that every doctor passing out from GMC must serve for 3 years minimum in government hospitals to tackle this shortage of doctors,” said Pawar.
When contacted, the Curchorem-Cacora CHC Health Officer Dr Mohanrao Dessai said he had intimated the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) regarding the shortage of doctors. “The process might take at least two months before the doctors are posted. I have also briefed the local MLA about the situation at the CHC.”
Pained to see people suffer due to shortage of doctors at CHC: Cabral
QUEPEM: Admitting he was aware of the shortage of doctors at the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Cacora-Curchorem, Curchorem MLA and Power Minister Nilesh Cabral said he was pained to see people suffering due to shortage of doctors at CHC. “I have briefed Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane in this regard and I had requested to depute more doctors at the earliest, but nothing has been done so far.”
“I am fully aware of the situation and it causes me great pain to see people suffering due to shortage of doctors at CHC. It saddens me when people from all over Curchorem, Sanvordem, Rivona Sanguem and even from Quepem come to CHC expecting medical services, but have to suffer in silence.”
“However, the government is committed to provide the best of medical services to people of Goa and I will again remind the chief minister and health minister about the shortage of doctors at the CHC,” said Cabral.
