This is the curious tale of the Saligao PHC, which had been announced by Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar way back in December 2018 when the Goa Forward party had been a partner with the BJP-led government. The Saligao PHC is yet to go forward as little progress has been made since then and the project still remains on paper.

In the absence of the Saligao PHC, the 10 staff appointed for Saligao PHC are presently at Candolim PHC and other health centres, while the ambulance allotted to the Saligao PHC is now stationed at the Candolim PHC.

On December 4, 2018, then RDA minister and Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar had stated that the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) had decided to set up a 20-bedded PHC at Saligao.

He had said the 20-bedded PHC would be constructed behind the existing panchayat building in the area provided by Saligao Comunidade.

“This new Saligao PHC would have all facilities, including a laboratory, and would cater to about 40,000 residents in Saligao, Sangolda, Parra, Pilerne and Reis Magos. A 108 Ambulance will also be stationed at this PHC round the clock,” Salgaonkar had said at the time.

Saligao Sarpanch Lafira Gomes had even thanked Salgaonkar for his efforts to set up a primary health centre at Saligao, especially since the existing sub health centre was unable to cater to the area.

Later in March 2019, Salgaonkar had even launched the 108 ambulance allotted to the Saligao PHC.

Salgaonkar had said at the time that the advanced ambulance had been equipped with all necessary equipment and trained manpower.

The MLA had said the DHS had received nine such advanced ambulances and one of them had been allotted to Saligao constituency.

“During medical emergencies, residents of Saligao, Sangolda, and Pilerne used to depend on the ambulance to arrive from either from Candolim PHC or the Mapusa District Hospital. Now, this ambulance will available at the doorsteps of people in Saligao constituency,” Salgaonkar had said.

Saligaonkar had said the Comunidade had agreed to offer some land behind the existing panchayat office for the construction of the 20-bedded Saligao PHC and said work on the project would start once the government got possession of land.

The MLA had also stated that the panchayat office would soon be shifted to an adjacent building and the possibility of utilising the vacant space of the existing panchayat office for the administrative block of PHC would be considered, while doctors could treat patients in the existing sub health centre.

Gomes had requested the government to depute a full-time doctor at the Saligao Sub-Health Centre till the Saligao PHC was set up.

Fast forward to October 2020 and the story is quite different.

There is no Saligao PHC at the site as yet, but a source said the 10 staff appointed for Saligao PHC are presently posted at Candolim PHC and other health centres.

The ambulance allotted to the Saligao PHC, which was meant to serve people in Saligao, Sangolda, and Pilerne who had been dependent on ambulances from Candolim PHC or the Mapusa District Hospital, is now, incidentally, at the Candolim PHC itself, the source added.

“These staff members receive salaries against the account of Saligao PHC, which technically does not exist. Besides, funds for the Saligao PHC had also been allotted but they have been diverted for Covid-relief measures,” the source added.

The present situation is such that the existing Sub-Health Centre near the Saligao Panchayat office is unable to provide adequate healthcare to people in the area, forcing them to visit either the Candolim PHC or GMC hospital.

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Comunidade yet to hand over
the the land, says Local MLA

PORVORIM: Reiterating that the Directorate of Health Services has sanctioned a PHC at Saligao, local MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar said the Saligao Comunidade was yet to hand over the land to the government for the project.

“Land acquisition process is in the pipeline and once the land is handed over, the government will construct a building and set up a 20-bedded PHC behind the Saligao panchayat office,” said Salgaonkar.

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Clarity needed on land: Comunidade

PORVORIM: Admitting that the Saligao Comunidade had received a letter from the government seeking land for the proposed Saligao PHC, Saligao Communidade Treasurer Mario Cordeiro said there was no clarity on the land needed for the project.

“The Saligao Comunidade had received a letter from the government requesting us to hand over the land, but nothing was mentioned in the letter whether the government wanted to acquire land on lease basis or purchase the land.”

“Since there has been no clarity from the government, the matter has been pending till date,” said Cordeiro.