Patients spared ordeal of treatment on wheelchairs and stretchers as 150 additional beds installed after health Minister’s push
MARGAO
In a significant development for public healthcare in South Goa, patients visiting the South Goa District Hospital will no longer undergo the ordeal of getting treated on a wheelchair or a stretcher henceforth for lack of beds.
For, the district hospital has finally been upgraded to its full 500-bed capacity, which is expected to bring much-needed relief to patients who were previously treated on wheelchairs and stretchers due to bed shortages.
Additional 150 beds have been put in the wards, taking the hospital capacity from 350 beds to 500 beds to cater to the growing health requirements of citizens of South Goa.
The hospital, which was commissioned in September 2020 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, had never operated at its full capacity—despite growing demand for in-patient care.
A fortnight ago, the hospital made arrangements to increase the bed strength in the male and female medicine wards to 160 – 80 beds in each ward to tide over the bed shortage. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, however, has insisted and instructed to upgrade the hospital to its full 500-bed capacity potential. Following the Minister’s instruction, Medical Superintendent Dr Rajendra Borkar has confirmed that the bed capacity has officially been increased by 150 beds, from 350 to 500.
Originally starting with 150 beds, the capacity had gradually increased to 350. However, the hospital continued to face overcrowding, especially during peak medical seasons, forcing many patients to wait on wheelchairs or trolleys until a bed became available.
The Health Minister’s instructions to fully utilise the 500-bed strength has helped to mitigate the hardships faced by the patients. Medical Superintendent Dr Borkar said the district hospital has implemented the Health Minister’s instructions to increase the bed strength to its capacity in both letter and spirit. “This is one reason where government-run hospital receives maximum patients and the South Goa district hospital is no exception. We had some issues with the bed strength forcing patients to undergo treatment on wheelchairs and stretchers. Patients were accommodated on wheelchairs and stretchers for a limited period before they are provided a bed after the discharge of a patient,” he said.
He added: “Henceforth, no patient visiting the district hospital will have to undergo treatment on stretchers and wheelchairs, except in emergency situation, such as a disaster. After we have increased the bed strength from 350 to 500, an increase of 150 beds, all patients are now accommodated on the beds. In fact, we have come across many beds lying vacant after the augmentation of the bed strength.”
This is perhaps the first time post-COVID pandemic that the total bed strength of the South Goa district hospital has been to use.
The hospital was commissioned around five years ago in mid-September 2020 during the COVID wave. Commissioning the district hospital with initial bed strength of 150 beds, the beds were increased gradually to cater to the requirements of patients during the second COVID wave.
Healthcare workers warn of overstrain, seek urgent manpower deployment
MARGAO: With the South Goa District Hospital finally commissioned to its 500-bedded capacity, healthcare workers now anxiously look forward to the government to depute corresponding manpower to cater to the growing patients.
For, while the bed infrastructure has improved, hospital staff is now awaiting reinforcement in manpower to match the increased patient load. Health workers and insiders have raised concerns about the need for additional doctors, nurses, and multi-tasking staff (MTS) to handle the larger number of patients.
“Increasing 150 beds means potentially 150 more patients. The existing staff is already stretched thin. Without additional manpower, this could lead to exhaustion and compromise the quality of care,” a source within the hospital said.
When asked about staffing provisions, Dr Rajendra Borkar noted that the government has assured support. “We’ve been promised adequate deployment of staff in line with the Indian Public Health Standards. We are confident that more doctors and nurses will be assigned soon to meet the rising demand.”
As South Goa’s only district hospital now begins operating at full capacity, both patients and healthcare providers hope the necessary manpower will follow to ensure that quality of care keeps pace with the infrastructure upgrade.
