The dedication of the doctors to their medical profession and their humility to attend to hundreds of patients in a day at the District Hospital Mapusa needs to be appreciated and admired. But the efficient functioning of the hospital remains neglected by the Health Minister. This fact is evident should one visit the hospital. The Orthopaedic, the general surgeries and eye clinics are the most crowded ones. Only one doctor attending with no assistant doctor and trained staff are the major drawbacks that put many doctors off mood to work efficiently to give in their best. In the words of this doctor with whom I happened to be for my treatment at the ENT clinic: When we enter the clinic, the ambiance should enthuze us to work. We must have a free mind to attend to our patients. The doctor bloated out angrily. The reason: without the doctor's consent the trained staff was transferred to another clinic with a replacement staff not knowing the clinic setup and unable to read the case paper to assist the doctor. These and many more grievances the doctors have are not looked into by the hospital in-charge. Yet, keeping mum, most doctors work silently with true devotion to their duty.

Our government has enough revenue coming from different sources, there's no reason to cry hoarse; but one wonders why sufficient trained staff is not employed and all the required facilities denied to the doctors by the Health Ministry for the efficient functioning of the hospital.

It's a pitiful sight to see mostly senior citizens in poor health visit this hospital for treatment. Long queues, patiently waiting for long hours for their turn to come, patients have to bear at times the brunt of some influential personalities and internal staff pop in between demanding  immediate attention of the doctor for obvious reason. It is pertinent to know the doctors be given due respect they deserve to practice with freedom to deliver their valuable services to the patients. This message, perhaps, has not reached the Health Minister, be it in the past and present, which speaks volumes for the poor functioning of the District Hospital Mapusa. Will this government wake up to be people-friendly in health care services.