MARGAO: Alleging that people visiting the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Curtorim are harassed, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday said that it was time the Goa government replicated the Delhi modal of health care.
Richard D’Sa co-coordinator of Curtorim AAP block said that patients, particularly senior citizens, come to the centre at 7 am to collect a token so that they can be attended to early and get their blood tested for sugar. However, the centre opens only at 9 am and by the time their blood sample is taken it is around 10.30 am and they remain hungry till then.
Pointing out that some years back blood samples were collected at 8 am, he said the Health Officer Martina Fernandes assured them that she would try to collect the samples by 8 am. D’Sa however admitted that the health centre is understaffed but could not tell how many staff members are needed.
AAP volunteers visited the health centre on November 8 following complaints from people of the difficulties they face there and saw for themselves that patients come as early as 7 am on a fasting stomach and have to wait for hours to get their sample collected.
Sidharth Karapurkar the environment in charge of AAP alleged that MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco tests for free people’s blood for sugar levels and the note given by his technician is accepted at the Health Centre based on which medicines are prescribed by the doctors.
However, he could not specify whether the test conducted by the technician at the MLA’s office is by Glucometer or blood sample is taken. He was also not in a position to state where the blood sample was tested.
“The BJP government appears to be helping Reginaldo as his readings (blood test results) are accepted by the officials at the primary health centre,” he alleged.
Dr Vallabh Nadkarni who took charge as Health Officer of Curtorim health centre on Saturday clarified that they test the blood samples at the centre and only that results is considered authentic, while the one done by the MLA only has placebo effect on the patients.
AAP has demanded that blood sample collection should start at 8 am and the staff member who comes early be asked to go off duty early and also demanded that the Delhi model of mohalla clinic be implemented in Goa.
