Canacona taluka has a population of about 65,000 and there are around ten pharmacies and medical stores to serve them, besides government medical stores cum sub-centers. However, in the night, not a single one is open making it very difficult in case of an emergency.
The issue brings into focus the Canacona Community Health Centre where the locals have complained about the lack of medicine supply and also have highlighted conditions.
Most of the residents of Cotigao, Agonda and Khola village panchayats said that though the number of patients at the health centre has increased, the authorities concerned have not increased the medicine quota. Hence, most of the patients have to purchase medicines from private drug stores making health-care expensive.
Businessman cum social worker, Elvis Fernandes while speaking to Herald said that most of the medicines are not available at the CHC pharmacy and the patients are asked to come at a later date. While the wealthy buy essential drugs from local pharmacies, the poor from remote villages cannot afford to make the return journey at a later date.
Abel Barreto, another social worker and leading businessman of Goa said that on his visits to the CHC, he has seen a serpentine procession of patients outside the doctor’s OPD chamber and many of the patients are seen squatting on pathways and floors as there are inadequate sitting arrangements.
According to the visiting committee member of CHC, Diogo D’Silva, an ultrasound machine that was installed is not in operation for the past few months and patients who have to go undergo this test are referred to go to Hospicio hospital at Margao. Some of these people cannot afford the trip to Margao.
Last year, Health Minister Francisco D’Souza, along with local MLA, Ramesh Tawadkar visited the CHC and after taking a stock of the situation, told people who addressed their grievances that he will see that the CHC is fully operational and that adequate staff and equipments will be placed. But according to Diego, the assurances given have gone to the wind.
According to Health Officer, Dr Vikas Kuvelkar, there is only one electrician who at many times is difficult to trace to attend to repair work or to start the generator. He said it requires the services of more trained electrical technicians.
The new CHC building was constructed adjacent to the old building and was inaugurated in the year 2006 at a cost of over Rs 5 crores by GSIDC with multiple facilities in the building that consisted of a kidney dialysis unit (this unit is the first in the country operated by any CHC). It is to be noted that the dialysis unit was sanctioned for Canacona CHC because of the high incidence of Common Renal Failure (CRF) in Canacona.
Kidney patients at the center said that they are content with the timely treatment available and further said that doctors and other staff at the center are very good but basic facilities are lacking.
