MARGAO
Hospicio’s make-shift casualty, which is housed in the office of hospital Medical Superintendent because of space constraints, came back to haunt the hospital after the Rawanfond bus accident, even as doctors and para-medical team rose to the occasion to attend to the injured bus passengers.
Space constraint at the Hospicio casualty was evident as the 108 ambulances brought as many as 22 injured from the accident spot to the hospital. Otherwise, consider this. While the first lot of injured passengers, ferried by the ambulances, managed to get a bed
inside the casualty, others had to seat outside on wheel-chairs and stretchers, waiting for their turn to be called inside for
treatment.
Left with no option, the doctors and nurses on duty along with the paramedics attended to the patients, outside the casualty, and ensured that all the injured got medical attention on urgent basis. Those who received treatment
were then shifted to the casualty ward, while others who did not require to be admitted, were given the option to go home.
It’s now months since the Hospicio casualty, which was functioning on the ground floor of the annex building, was shifted to the heritage building in the office of the Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Ira Almeida. The annex building was declared unsafe for occupation.
“The makeshift casualty is facing severe space constraints in times of emergencies. Though we are helpless, we tried to administer the best possible and prompt treatment in the casualty,” remarked a doctor, who was quick to point out that such a situation would not have arisen had the government
expedited the commissioning of the long-delayed district hospital under construction for the last nine years.
