BAILON MASCARENHAS
QUEPEM
Building hospitals is one challenge, equipping them with the required doctors, staff, medicines and essential facilities is quite another task.
The shortage of doctors, medicines, staff and basic essential facilities at the Quepem hospital, which was inaugurated barely a year ago, has left many wondering if the government is really serious about health care of people in Quepem taluka.
The short-comings at the 24-bedded hospital at Quepem has increased by the day, causing hardship to patients either admitted in the hospital or those seeking treatment at the OPD.
Many unhappy patients and relatives have begun questioning the urgency to inaugurate the hospital when the necessary facilities were not in place.
The 24-bedded extension of Primary Health Centre was inaugurated by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on January 26, 2018, amid towering promises during the inaugural
function.
Even Quepem MLA and Opposition Leader Babu Kavlekar and Curchorem MLA and Power Minister Nilesh Cabral had promised that hi-tech services would be made available at the hospital.
Optimism and euphoria soon turned into dejection, uncertainty and anger, as patients were frequently denied of basic essential facilities, adding to their suffering
and misery.
The unhappy patients had claimed that an acute shortage of doctors has forced them to wait endlessly for a doctor, adding that on many occasions, only one doctor is found attending to about 200 patients at the OPD.
“Shortage of doctors is the biggest shortcoming at present as the number of patients has increased from about 170 to 200 patients per day and around 8-10 patients are admitted, other than the patients treated at casualty,” said a source in the hospital.
“At present, there are four doctors, including a doctor on deputation from Hospicio Hospital at Margao. But doctors from the hospital are also expected to attend to patients at the sub-center in Rivona. Despite the shortage, doctors have to attend to programmes in schools and colleges as per the schedule,” the
source added.
Besides the shortage of doctors, patients at OPD and those admitted in the hospital are told to buy medicines from outside as there is shortage of several essential medicines, especially for pressure and diabetes related ailments.
The patients have also complained that a shortage of staff in the hospital and OPD even for registration purpose has forced them to stand in queues for a long time.
Another problem plaguing the hospital is the absence of a full-time pharmacist and the pharmacy is run by a temporary pharmacist from Rivona.
Sources said there is also a shortage of nurses and many staffers are under a lot of stress in a bid to provide timely treatment to patients.
In April 2018, there was a 28-hr power failure in Quepem and surrounding areas, due to which medicines were ruined at the hospital as there was no power backup or generator at the hospital.
Relatives forced to provide meals
to patients: Social worker
QUEPEM: Criticising authorities at the hospital for failing to provide meals to patients, social worker and member of Quepem Citizens Forum Anthony T Fernandes has said patients at the hospital are forced to make arrangements for their own meals which have to be delivered by family members.
“In the beginning, diet meals were provided by a contractor. Later, the contractor withdrew the service claiming he was unable to provide full day meals within Rs 100.”
“The worst part is, there is no planned and equipped kitchen in the hospital where diet meals can be prepared. When the hospital does not have a kitchen, how can diet meals be provided to patients,” asked Fernandes.
Fernandes also pointed out that there is no provision for laundry facilities in the newly constructed extension of the Quepem hospital, adding that linen used in the hospital is sent to a laundry facility elsewhere.
