MARGAO
Over 1,500 patients -- around 1,626 to be precise. When the gates of the South Goa district hospital were opened as usual at 8 am, hundreds of patients gained entry inside before heading to the Out Patient Departments, while others stood in a line for new registrations.
The queue was so huge that the serpentine line spilled outside the hospital's main entrance, leaving the patients, including senior citizens and parents with infants, to undergo an ordeal of sorts in the government-run premier hospital.
Do not be shocked if patients in the know claim that the rush, congestion and utter chaos are the order of the day in the first two hours of the morning almost every day, with the situation going out of hand on Mondays.
Social activist from Borda, Laurel Abranches, who had gone to the district hospital for an appointment with the dentist, said he was shocked to know what was happening at the district hospital.
“When I entered the hospital building, the situation was indeed chaotic. There was no order inside. There was total congestion, even no place to move. The elderly amongst the hundreds were waiting for their turn to reach the registration department or the OPDs. The infants carried by their parents had to wait for long in the queue,” he said.
Laurel said attempts to find the Public Information Officer proved futile as the PRO was not in his place. A handful of security personnel could not handle the situation as they tried to push the patients to maintain order.
Saying the district hospital has no proper system for registration and other issues, Abranches later petitioned the district hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Rajendra Borkar to put a system in place to rectify the situation. “Public queues need to be maintained with proper barricading in a single line. Like the registration followed by the Goa Medical College, Bambolim, there ought to be a token system given to patients for each of the OPDs,” he stated.
Abranches further said separate counters need to be maintained for the OPDs to control the situation.
Some of the patients pointed out that they camp at the entrance to the district hospital as early as 5 am to gain entry when the hospital is opened for the day. “I have come across many patients who made it to the district hospital before dawn. What we have found out is chaos. The administration should analyse the situation and bring about improvement,” the patient added.
Over 1,500 patients visit Margao hospital daily
South Goa District Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Rajendra Borkar has admitted there’s a daily rush of patients, especially on Mondays, to get treated at the hospital.
Borkar informed that the district hospital plays host to around 1,500 patients on an average daily, adding that the number of patients crosses the 1500-mark on Mondays.
“What happened at the district hospital on Monday was that around 1626 patients, around 126 patients more than the average number, visited the hospital, either to the OPDs or for registrations,” Dr Borkar said.
He further pointed out that this rush is normally seen for two hours between 8.30 am and 10.30 am every day. “Our registrations start in the morning and continue till noon. After 10.30 am, the hospital does not see any rush as the patients head to their respective OPDs and departments,” he said.
Dr Borkar, however, rejected the charge that the PROs were not in place on Monday. “Maybe the patients did not find the PRO in his office. But, the PRO was very much inside the hospital building,” Dr Borkar said.
Demand for online registration, token system for consultations
Prabhav Naik, a youth leader from Margao, said a video that went viral on Monday morning shows the hardships and pains faced by patients and their relatives visiting the South Goa district hospital due to the collapse of the administration.
He requested Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to show some kindness towards infants and senior citizens and give them relief from suffering.
“The government can explore online registration wherein a token with time can be given to the patients for consultations with doctors. This will help in reducing the crowd,” he said. He added: “It hurts to see senior citizens and parents holding infants being made to stand in long queues with absolutely no system in place. It looked like a bus stand scene.”
He said the government needs to be sensitive towards people who are in pain due to various types of ailments, adding that it's the government’s responsibility to ensure the patients are comfortable.
“I hope the Health Minister will take proactive steps to end the sufferings of the people. We have already submitted a memorandum to him on August 27 and are thankful to him for visiting the South Goa district hospital. We hope the hospital will soon be made functional as a tertiary hospital,” Prabhav said.
