MARGAO
Hospicio authorities have heaved a sigh of relief as the government has posted two state-of-the-art cardiac care ambulances in the South.
Given the fact that Hospicio receives around 16-18 patients with heart related problems every month on an average and in the absence of an ICU facility and with just one coronary unit, these well-equipped ambulances will be of great help.
Says Dr Ira Almeida, Hospicio Medical Superintendent: “The two ambulances have come in handy for Hospicio to attend to patients complaining of chest pain and heart attacks. Whenever we used to receive patients complaining of chest pain, doctors used to administer the clot busting drugs before referring the patient to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim”.
Now, with the two cardiac care ambulances at the disposal of Hospicio, the ambulances are helping the doctors to stabilize the condition of the patients.
Sources said if a patient is in need of further treatment, one of the ambulances is sent to the GMC with the patient. Given that the ambulances are accompanied by an expert doctor, sources said the patient receives all the attention and his condition is monitored throughout till his admission in the GMC, Bambolim.
Hospicio authorities have decided to station both the ambulances at the hospital itself in the interest of the patients. “Any patient can call the 108 ambulance if he or she experiences chest pain. The ambulance will ferry the patient to Hospicio, where upon examination he or she will be taken inside the cardiac care ambulance,” Hospicio sources said.
Incidentally, while the two ambulances are helping in bringing relief to patients, lack of interventional cardiology is presently lacking in South Goa following the shut down of the facility at the Apollo hospital.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had said the government is toying with the idea of procuring the Apollo Cath lab facility or taking the lab on hire.
