MARGAO
Kidney patients undergoing dialysis at the Navelim Primary Health Centre have made a fervent plea to the government to make available the Wepox injections, start the pathological section at the PHC and to do away with the power outages and fluctuations.
In fact, patients told The Goan they have been left with no option than to take the injection at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim, every 10 days for want of the injection at the PHC and the South Goa district hospital.
Saying the patients availing the dialysis facility at the PHC, Navelim are mostly the common man, the patients demanded to know why the injection is not being made available at the district hospital or the PHCs if the same is available at the GMC, Bambolim.
A patient Laurel Abranches told The Goan that the Wepox injection was being provided by the government at the PHCs, but has been stopped since the last 4-5 months. “We are all forced to travel to Bambolim to take the injection since it is not available even at the South Goa district hospital. There’s another injection which the dialysis patients have to take to boost the hemoglobin, but that is also not made available,” he said, even as he made a humble request to the Health authorities to make available these injections at the PHCs and the district hospital as well.
On power fluctuations at the PHC, Abranches pointed out that Thursday witnessed frequent power fluctuations, giving the patients some anxious moments. “There’s a backup generator at the PHC, Navelim, but it takes some seconds before the generator gives the back up power. During this intervening period, the patients runs the risk of their blood entering the dialysis machine and lose precious blood. This can even cost us our lives. On Thursday, I contacted the Executive Engineer, Power Department, and he assured to get back to me, but there was no reply from him. Hence, I have decided to take the matter to the media,” he added.
Saying that dialysis patients are required to undergo blood testing every month, Abranches said each of the patients would have saved around Rs 1,500 on blood testing if the Health services had to start the pathology section at the PHC, Navelim.
When The Goan contacted the Medical Officer, Navelim PHC, Dr Prajakt Kamulkar to shed light on the power fluctuations, he said, the PHC has a backup generator, which gives continuity to the dialysis process. “I understand there are sometimes power fluctuations, but the dialysis machines do not stop working. The back up power facility ensures continuity in the dialysis,” he added.
