Exasperated CM vows to put ailing Hospicio back on track

Exasperated CM vows to put ailing Hospicio back on track
HEALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MAY 11
Exasperated over the prevailing conditions at Hospicio, especially the ailing mortuary, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Tuesday has said he would take personal interest to put the ailing district hospital on the right track.
Kamat conducted a visit of the hospital this morning and personally saw for himself the conditions in the wake of complaints received from Congress workers from Margao and Fatorda that all is not well with the district hospital.
After finding that the 18-capacity was occupied by 15 bodies, the Chief Minister gave clear cut directions to the district Superintendent of Police, South Allan De Sa to ensure that the police clear all medico-legal cases from the morgue within seven days.
Similar directions were issued to the Margao Municipal Chief Officer to dispose off the dead body on the eight day after receiving the request from the police.
The Chief Minister further said the efforts are on to have another mortuary at the TB Sanatorium. “I will talk to city NGOs like the Lions Club and other social organizations which have evinced interest to set up a mortuary unit in addition to the existing unit”, he added.
In this connection, the Chief Minister has asked for a fortnightly report from the hospital and Margao Municipal Council on the disposal of dead bodies and the status in the morgue.
SP De Sa expressed his helplessness in disposing off the dead bodies within 48 hours, adding that the number of unclaimed bodies have increased in the district in recent times.
“I will regularly visit the hospital even during night time to find out its functioning”, Kamat warned, added that he would try to rectify the shortcomings such as shortage of operators etc.
The Chief Minister, who took round of the mortuary, casualty, blood bank, later inquired about the functioning of the telephone operations. He made it categorically clear that the operators should attend to all calls and interact with members of the public.
The Chief Minister also said that the authorities should station a police officer at the hospital round-the-clock. “I want the telephone operators to work round-the-clock. You make alternate arrangements and increase the numbers of operators from four to six. Look at the GMC, there is immediate response from the operator unlike in Hospicio. I want a constable along with the telephone operator”, Kamat said.
Asserting that he means business vis-à-vis Hospicio hospital, the Chief Minister said “this is just the beginning. Better alert your staff. I will make surprise night rounds to see and verify how it’s functioning without prior intimation. I have had enough now and I will personally take note to put a system in place”, he added.
The Radiology Department asked the CM to bring back the X-ray machine back in the room and complete the restoration work. They also called for changing the manual processing to computerized technology.