MARGAO
The Hospicio administration may have addressed the immediate bed shortage by augmenting bed strength at the South Goa District Hospital. However, referrals from the district hospital to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim, have continued unabated, with patients routinely being shifted for specialised care and in critical cases.
Statistics compiled by the South Goa District Hospital reveal an alarming trend of patients being regularly referred to GMC. In 2025 alone, a staggering 4,582 patients from the district hospital were transferred to GMC, Bambolim.
Although the district hospital has finally commissioned an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nearly four years after the hospital became operational, several key facilities are still lacking. The absence of specialised departments such as cardiology, neurology etc has forced the administration to continue referring patients to GMC for better treatment.
Referral data further indicates that an average of 11 to 15 patients are shifted daily from the South Goa District Hospital to GMC, Bambolim. This translates to nearly 300 referrals every month, underscoring persistent gaps in healthcare services at the district hospital and raising concerns that all is still not well with its functioning.
