MARGAO
Health Secretary Yogendra Maralkar on Friday got a first-hand account of the plight of patients undergoing treatment on stretchers and wheelchairs at Hospicio South Goa District Hospital, prompting the administration to explore the possibility of shifting eight elderly patients who have been occupying hospital beds for months.
Five of the eight patients may be shifted to the recently renovated old age home managed by the Provedoria department at Margao. The move, if implemented, is expected to free up much-needed beds at the district hospital and provide some relief amid a surge in patient admissions.
Accompanied by Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Rajendra Borkar, Maralkar visited the hospital wards and saw for himself patients receiving treatment on wheelchairs and stretchers due to the shortage of beds.
Dr Borkar briefed the Health Secretary on the situation at the district hospital and the difficulties being faced in accommodating the increasing number of patients. According to sources, Borkar suggested freeing up the eight beds occupied by elderly patients who have remained at the hospital for months due to a lack of accommodation at old age homes.
Maralkar accepted the suggestion and is understood to have set the administrative process in motion to explore the possibility of shifting the patients and freeing the beds for those requiring hospitalisation.
Hopes were raised that around five of the eight patients could be shifted to the Margao old age home after Maralkar spoke to Provedoria officials regarding their accommodation.
When contacted, Dr Borkar confirmed that the Health Secretary visited the wards following his request to see the situation first-hand in view of the bed shortage.
“The Health Secretary was kind enough to visit the wards and saw for himself the situation at the male and female wards. He immediately set in motion the process to explore the possibility of shifting the eight patients to the old age home. We hope something will come out of the exercise by next week,” Dr Borkar said.
Maralkar was at Hospicio hospital to attend a Swachhta programme organised by the Urban Development Department. He is also holding charge as Secretary, Urban Development.
Hospicio South Goa District Hospital was in the news since last week after the acute bed shortage plaguing the hospital saw patients taking treatment on chairs, wheelchairs and stretchers for want of beds. Some of the unfortunate patients were even seen accommodated on the floor for want of beds.
Hospicio awaits ambulance for reverse patient transfers
MARGAO: As there is no let up to the acute bed shortage plaguing situation at the Hospicio South Goa District Hospital, the hospital administration is anxiously waiting for the Directorate of Health Services to make available a dedicated ambulance to commence reverse transfer of patients to the Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres.
While the Hospicio administration has taken the decision to kick start the reverse transfer of patients, the administration is waiting for the department to send an ambulance to the hospital to take the proposal to its logical conclusion. “We have received positive feedback from the department to start the reverse transfer of patients. We will transfer the patients to the PHCs and CHCs once the hospital receives the ambulance,” sources informed.
