TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Will the government and the Director of Health Services put the Hospicio CT scan in order at the earliest and save South Goa citizens a trip to the Goa Medical College, Bambolim, or avail the scan facility in private hospitals at a huge cost?
A fortnight after the Hospicio CT scan broke down, South Goa patients, mostly accident victims, have little option left. They have to either travel to the GMC or the emerging private hospitals.
Herald inquiries with the Hospicio authorities revealed that they have submitted a detailed report on the CT scan to the Director of Health Services for necessary action. “The tube of the CT scan has conked off. It cannot be repaired but needs replacement. The options before the government are simple. Either they have to replace the scan tube or go in for a new scan, which is a remote possibility given the prevailing financial situation,” remarked a Hospicio doctor in the know.
The breakdown of the scan has put Hospicio’s in-house patients and those referred by other hospitals in a tight spot. Another doctor said: “Since the time our CT scan broke down, we are referring the patients to the GMC. But to save time and energy from travelling all the way to Bambolim, many of the patients prefer to undergo a scan at the private hospitals by spending a huge amount.”
Inquires have revealed that Hospicio used to charge an amount of Rs 200 for its patients, while charging Rs 1,200 for outside patients. On the other hand, the private hospitals charge nothing less than Rs 2,500 for a CT scan, sources in the know informed.
When Herald contacted the Director of Health Services, Dr Sanjeev Dalvi, to throw light on the status of the scan, he said he was busy with an official meeting while declining to answer the query.
Hospicio doctors said the Health Director should take up the matter on priority so that the proposal for repairs or replacement of the tube receives immediate sanction.
Meanwhile, inquiries have revealed that the only CT scan in South Goa at Hospicio had come in handy for patients from the district to avail the facility.
Statistics revealed that around 8,395 patients availed of the scan facility in the last three years, with records indicating that demand for the facility has been on the rise with each passing year.
