CANACONA
Demanding better health facilities at the Canacona Community Health Centre, the lone government hospital in the taluka, the group ‘We for Palolem’ has sought X-ray facility round the clock and the immediate introduction of motorcycle ambulance services.
Executive members of ‘We for Palolem’ and South Goa District Congress Block General Secretary Gaspar Coutinho met the Health Officer Dr Jose Tavares at the CHC on Tuesday. They complained that the X-Ray unit is operational only half-day on Saturdays and demanded that X-Ray facilities should function uninterrupted 24x7 to provide the much-needed facility to the needy, who are being sent to Margao for X-Ray facilities.
According to Coutinho, Dr Tavares said at least 5-6 technicians would be required to keep the X-Ray unit working 24x7 and said he would put up a proposal to his superiors to depute the necessary staff to keep the X-Ray unit open 24x7.
The delegation also sought to know why the motorcycle ambulance, which was promised three months ago, is still not provided in Canacona as yet. The delegation claimed that the 108 ambulance is mostly inaccessible in many remote areas of Canacona Taluka, and since the government has already decided to introduce a motorcycle ambulance, it should have been urgently allotted to the Canacona CHC.
The Health Officer said he has already put a proposal to the Director of Health Services for the service and is following up to get the necessary approval to bring the Bullet Ambulance to Canacona.
The delegation also enquired about the status of the elevator which would frequently fail at the Canacona CHC.
Others present in the delegation included ‘We for Palolem’ Secretary Rosario Fernandes, Treasurer Antonio Pereira, and executive members Jacinta Baretto and Mercy Fernandes.
