MARGAO
These Sisters of Charity, Maria Bambina, who have been working as nurses at the Hospicio, face an uncertain future vis-Ã -vis accommodation as the residential quarters they are putting up at the hospital is in a dilapidated condition and they have nowhere to go as the government is bracing up to commission the South Goa district hospital later this year.
The sisters are now looking forward to the government for making alternate arrangements for them in the new district hospital and are believed to have taken up the issue with Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao.
These nuns, who are trained nurses, attached to the Sisters of Charity, have been serving the sick and the afflicted at the Hospicio for over eight decades now. Since 2009, they had been knocking the doors of the authorities to repair their residential quarters located behind the Hospicio. After having put up in temporary accommodation, the sisters were told to vacate the quarters as the structure was crumbling and the rafters of the roof were eaten by termites “There’s been no major repairs done on our quarters. After we approached the local MLA and minister, Vijai Sardesai, the PWD assured to do the needful, but the work could not commence for want of any takers for the tender,” a sister told the media on Sunday after a delegation came to see the TCP Minister with their grievances.
“We have nowhere to go as the authorities have requested us to vacate the quarters given the present condition,” one of the sisters told the TCP Minister in the presence of former MLA and Goa Forward leader Farrel Furtado.
As it is, the three sisters have to contend with reptiles and even wild cats falling from the roof of the quarters. And, not to mention the anti-social elements, who are seen outside in the dead of night.
Of the three sisters putting up at the residential quarters at Hospicio, two of them are trained nurses working in the hospital, while the third one is a community member. “Since we are employed by the
government as nurses, the government deducts our house rent in lieu of the accommodation. Initially, a total of 12 sisters have been staying in the accommodation. While some have retired, others had to look for alternate accommodation as one of the rooms was declared unsafe,” the sister said.
After giving them a patient hearing, the TCP Minister has promised to work out a solution to the issue. It is learnt that Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao had also taken up the plight of the sisters with the TCP Minister.
