Since the last five months, the Sub District Hospital (SDH) at Ponda has been entrusted to handle the Medical Store Depot from where medicines are supplied to government hospitals and primary health centres across the state. Earlier, this place was only used to store medicines required for SDH. “Not many were aware that staff at the Ponda depot were struggling to save medicines from an unexpected threat. A large number of boxes containing medicines used to become wet due to the entry of water inside the depot. In the process medicines used to get spoilt,” sources told The Goan. However, recent efforts by the hospital s medical superintendent and a private company have helped protect the state s supply of medicines from further damage. Speaking to The Goan, SDH Medical Superintendent Dr Pradeep Shinkre informed that Ponda SDH had been the centre for the distribution of medicines to government hospitals and primary health centres all over the State. According to him, the move to shift the depot to the Ponda SDH was taken due to available space and its strategic location. “Earlier, medicines were supplied from the health department at Panaji. But since there was enough space here, the government decided to shift the depot to the SDH, which is centrally located in the State. Now, it is easily accessible to hospitals from far-flung areas,” he said. Two pharmacists and two loaders have been engaged at the SDH depot and they are entrusted with the task of handing over medicines to personnel sent by the hospitals concerned. “We have engaged our staff to cater to the needs of other hospitals. We have set a schedule for hospitals and PHCs, so that they come and pick up the medicines on the days allotted to them,” explained Dr Shinkre. However, not all medicines will be stored at the depot at Ponda SDH. “Those medicines in need of refrigeration will continue to be supplied from Panaji. However, all remaining medicines are supplied from the Ponda depot, which is accessible to all,” said Dr Shinkre. Dr Shinkre admitted that water seepage had been a major concern at the depot, but added that steps had been initiated to resolve the issue. “During the rainy season, water would overflow from the drainage chamber at the SDH and would enter the depot damaging medicines placed on the floor. We have shifted that chamber outside, thereby preventing water from seeping into inside,” Dr Shinkre told The Goan. “Now, a private company as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) has also helped the depot by donating plastic pallets, a portable platform for storing or moving goods that are stacked on it, and other required equipment.” “The company has donated 24 plastic pallets to keep medicine boxes. This will ensure the medicines are kept away and safe from water. The company has also donated two trolleys and four air-conditioners for the benefit of our workers,” acknowledged Dr Shinkre. “This depot will now work better as facilities have been created for better storage of medicines and better convenience to staff at the depot,” added the SDH medical superintendent. The different steps initiated at the depot has had favourable results. “This year, some water did enter the depot, but the loss was far less as compared to last year since this place was only used to store medicines for SDH,” informed a staffer at the Ponda SDH.
Ponda medicine depot works against all odds to be the best
Availability of medicines in government hospitals across the state is a thing the authorities have to grapple on a daily basis, but the storage of huge stocks of medicines has been an equally challenging task at a depot at the Sub District Hospital (SDH) in Ponda.
