Team Herald
PANJIM: When one thinks of a hospital, what comes to mind is cleanliness and care. But this does not seem to be the case at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Bambolim- a premier health care institute in the state. Though there is care at GMC, what is missing is cleanliness as there are around 15 old vehicles parked near the office of the Dean which need to be scrapped.
Among the vehicles, there is a 108 ambulance which had met with an accident some time back. The old and condemned vehicles not only are a health hazard for the number of patients and their relatives from across the state who visit the hospital daily but also a place for the anti-social elements.
The people visiting the hospital pointed out that an incident in Kolkata had already forced the resident doctors of the GMC to raise the issue of their safety which forced the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to assure that steps will be taken for the doctor's safety. But these vehicles may provide space to the anti-social elements to hide themselves and commit a crime, given the fact that the area is lonely and less visited by the people.
Savita Govekar, a relative of a patient, said, "I have seen these vehicles parked here for a long time. I do not know why they are not being removed from here. They are a possible breeding ground for vector borne diseases like malaria or dengue. The authorities must take immediate action and see that these vehicles are removed from the hospital compound and discarded.”
Gary Azavedo, a Porvorim resident who had come to visit a patient, said, "These vehicles have unnecessarily occupied space which could be used to park ambulances. There is an old ambulance which perhaps had met with an accident. Question is what is the point of keeping these vehicles here?. Normally you find these type of old vehicles near police stations. When the central government’s rule mandates that a vehicle which is 15-year-old should be scrapped then why are these vehicles here?”
He pointed out that the space which has been occupied by these vehicles can be better used for other purposes.
Though GMC officials did not respond to the phone calls, a Directorate of Health Services (DHS) official said that it will take some time to resolve the issue of the old vehicles.