Sawal decries deplorable state of Bicholim PHC
Patients made to sit for hours before being attended to
THE GOAN NETWORK
BICHOLIM
Alleging that negligence at the Bicholim Primary Health Centre (PHC) had led to the death of a 60-year-old man from Maulingkarwada-Kharpal, Bicholim MLA Naresh Sawal felt it would be better to shut down the hospital.
Addressing a news conference in the city, Sawal said the condition of the Bicholim PHC had deteriorated.
“A patient, Bhudho Gawas from Maulingkarwada-Kharpal died as he was not properly attended to by the doctors at the PHC. It is better if the hospital is closed down,” said a visibly upset Sawal.
“Patients visiting this hospital are made to sit for hours on end without being attended to and there are instances when deaths have occurred because of such poor conditions,” Sawal said.
Detailing the case of Gawas, the MLA said, “The patient was admitted at the PHC at 7.30 am, after he had complained of chest pain. However, the doctors did not attend to him till 10 am. When a doctor finally attended to him, he casually checked him and suggested that he be moved to Asilo hospital due to his serious condition.”
“To make matters worse, there was no ambulance at the PHC and one ambulance reached the hospital only after an hour. Surprisingly, there was no oxygen cylinder in the ambulance. The patient died on the way to Asilo hospital at Mapusa,” he said.
“It is better to close down the PHC if it cannot attend to patients on time,” said Sawal.
