MARGAO
Finally, Outpatient Department (OPD) services started functioning from the Margao Urban Health Centre building, nearly 23 months after the façade of the building had crumbled on July 8, 2023.
However, the immunisation of children scheduled on Thursday will take place at the South Goa District Hospital, and people can avail of the service at the Urban Health Centre building from the coming Monday. Similarly, the office will continue to function from the old Hospicio building for the time being.
The façade of the Margao Urban Health Centre had collapsed in the early hours of July 8 two years ago, prompting health officials to shift services to the vacant old Hospicio building as a temporary arrangement as a matter of abundant caution, hoping that the government and the PWD would move with alacrity to repair and restore the heritage structure.
However, it has taken nearly two years for the PWD to repair the damaged façade of the Urban Health Centre to pave the way for the commencement of services at the building. That’s not all. Since the structural health of the old Hospicio heritage building had come under the scanner, the OPD and immunisation services were last year shifted to the South Goa District Hospital.
Wednesday saw OPD services returning to the Urban Health Centre building, for the first time in the last two years, after patients were informed that the services had been shifted back to the building.
Enquiries, however, have revealed that the immunisation programme scheduled on Thursday will continue at the South Goa District Hospital to avoid confusion amongst the people.
Margao Urban Health Officer Dr Baptista told 'The Goan' that the immunisation will take place at the District Hospital on Thursday as scheduled. “We plan to shift immunisation back to the Urban Health Centre building from the coming Monday,” he added.
Though the PWD contractor has completed the work of restoring the damaged façade and painting the structure, questions are raised over the structural stability of the heritage building. Sources in the know informed that the structural stability of the heritage building housing the Urban Health Centre remains unknown.
