MARGAO
The over 150 year old heritage Hospicio hospital building left vacant for over a year ago after the shifting of the hospital services to the new South Goa district hospital, is in the news, but for a different reason.
With the Archdiocese of Goa & Daman writing a letter to the Director of Health Services to hand over parts of the Hospicio building for a proposed health care centre, all eyes are focused on the government how it will go about to utilize the heritage building, from where Fr Antonio Joao de Miranda had started the hospital to cater to the needs of the society over a century and half ago.
Director of Health Services, Dr Geeta Kakodkar confirmed that the Directorate has received a letter from the Archdiocese, requesting for possession of part areas of Hospicio for the proposed health care centre at the building. She, however, hastened to add that it is for the government to take a call on the matter.
The letter from the Archdiocese assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the fact there’s been a clamour from citizens at large that the health care centre should be set up at the heritage building to cater to the health needs of the people.
That’s not all. The heritage Hospicio building has been lying unutilized since the time the hospital services were shifted to the imposing South Goa district building over a year and half now, with fears raised in many quarters that the heritage building may crumble for want of upkeep and maintenance.
Other than the blood bank and minor services, officials conceded that the old Hospicio building has remained idle, with the government dilly dallying on taking a decision how to go about utilizing the structure.
The Old Hospicio heritage building complex also plays host to a Chapel. The Holy Spirit Church has recently started Mass service at the Chapel on Saturdays.
The Goan had a couple of months ago had highlighted the state of affairs at the old Hospicio building complex, with the complex playing host of bushes and thick vegetation post-monsoon.
Sources pointed out that Padre Antonio Joao de Miranda conceived the idea of Hospicio in 1967 after seeing the plight of the poor and sick people dying on the streets of Margao with no hospital facilities.
Sources further pointed out that Padre Miranda had gone begging door to door in Margao for donations from families in Margao and surrounding places to realize the dream of setting up the Hospicio.
Incidentally, though the government has shifted the Hospicio operations to the new South Goa district hospital, no firm decision has yet been taken how to go about utilizing the heritage building till date.
