pernem: The condition of Primary Health Centre located at Purva-Cansarvornem, Pernem is turning from bad to worse with no proper heath officer, no sufficient staff and heath facilities. Serving the villages of Pernem constituency such as Cansarvornem, Ozarim, Talarna-Halarna, Ibrampur, Khutwal, Hankhane, Hasapur, Chandel, Hali, Nagzar, Bhendale, Varkhand, Poraskadem, Khajne-Amere, Ugvem, Mopa, Torxem, Tamboxem, Phakirpatha and Patradevi the number of patients visiting the centre has almost come down to nil as there are no proper health facilities.
Since the centre lacks even the basic health facilities, villagers are forced to travel all the way to District Hospital Mapusa or Community Health Centre Tuem for health check and further treatment.
People coming to the have expressed disappointment since this centre is not reaching out to their expectations. However, even after putting their demands before the concerned authorities, the authorities from Health department have completely failed to fulfil their demands for the past many years now.
Keeping aside the highly equipped medical facility, this primary health centre lacks heath equipment to check blood pressure, diabetic patients and conduct other basic tests. This centre also has only one general physician who looks after the OPD patients as well as admitted patients. The physician works 24 hours a day and also visits the sub health centres after his duty hours.
The centre has an X-Ray machine but a radiologist is available only twice a week. So patients are forced to visit the District Hospital Mapusa for an X-ray on other days. Also since the heath officer of this centre retired few months back, the centre is without a health officer as well as a medical officer. Since there is no medical officer, the centre also lacks the basic required medicines.
From the last 25 years, people here are demanding for a gynaecologist but the centre does not even have a visiting gynaecologist. With no gynaecologist, ladies are forced to travel almost 20 to 30 km to District Hospital Mapusa or Tuem Health Centre to consult a Gynec. Since these villages are rural, not everyone can afford to pay for taxis to travel either to Tuem or Mapusa, says a villager. Along with Gynec, the centre also lacks Orthopaedic doctor. Whenever any patient visits the centre they directly refer them to health centre Tuem or District Hospital Mapusa.
Almost all the servants and nurses, who were working at the Centre, have been transferred but no replacement staff have come for almost a year now.
The Centre has three ambulances but only one driver working during one shift because of which during any emergency people have to wait for hours for the driver to come to take them to the referred hospital or arrange their own transport.
A local Rajesh Naik said, “If there is no health and medical officer then how can the centre work? The centre lacks basic facilities; how can we expect to get equipped medical machineries? The doctors are made to work beyond their 24-hour duty. Also since these villages are rural villages, everyone cannot afford to travel 20 to 30 km all the way to District hospital Mapusa or Tuem to get treatment. We would like the government to look into this need and act upon it on a priority basis.”
Another youth Priya said, “Upgrading this health centre is a need since the upcoming Mopa airport is just few kilometres from this centre. The upgradation will get all the facilities which in turn will reduce the inconvenience faced by the people.”
