PANJIM: The government is investing in improving the health care system in the State’s rural areas. Along with developing physical infrastructure, the Health Department has now drawn up a plan for availability of doctors in primary health centres (PHC) as well as community health centres (CHC).
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that the department is procuring machinery worth around Rs 5 crore to be installed at the PHCs and CHCs.
He said, “In the next six months before April, every PHC and CHC will have blood testing facility and in sub-health centres, at least a semi-auto analyser will be made available so that basic tests like sugar levels and other things can be made available.”
He added that mobile x-ray machines will be installed, two machines at Hospicio Margao and one each at sub-district hospital in Ponda, cottage hospital in Chicalim, health centres in Curchorem, Valpoi, Quepem, Canacona, Sanguem and the North Goa District Hospital.
Rane further said that Goa will soon be the first State to run public sector cardiac care ambulances. “It is the first initiative of 108 in the country as no other State has 108 cardiac ambulances. Protocol will be drawn up by the cardiology department of Goa Medical College and Hospital. The first fleet of cardiac ambulances will run from December 19,” he added.
