GOACAN Begins Campaign to Promote Transparency and Patient Safety in Public Health Centers

“Transparency in public health centers is vital,” said Martins

Published on:

17 Sep 2024, 1:22 pm

As part of the World Patient Safety Day observance, the Goa Consumer Action Network (GOACAN) launched a campaign to inspect public health facilities across the state. Their first visit was to the Navelim Health Center, where concerns about the lack of transparency were highlighted. GOACAN's inspection revealed that the health center had no board displaying the names of the doctor or the number of staff members, a lapse that has raised questions about accountability.

Roland Martins, a representative of GOACAN, voiced his concern over the situation. “Transparency in public health centers is vital,” said Martins, emphasizing the importance of displaying essential information for patients. He announced that in the next three days, GOACAN will inspect all health centers across the state and launch a public awareness campaign to inform citizens of their rights.

Statewide Health Center Inspection and Public Awareness Drive

GOACAN has planned to visit all panchayats and health centers across Goa, with inspections continuing until November 19. According to Martins, the campaign’s main objective is to ensure that health centers follow the necessary regulations, improving transparency and services for patients. The campaign also aims to raise public awareness about the state of public health services and the need for improvements, especially in the wake of recent cholera and dengue outbreaks at Cutbona Jetty.

During the visit to Navelim , Martins stressed the importance of various committees tasked with improving public health at the grassroots level, pointing out that many citizens are unaware of their existence

These committees play a crucial role in public health management, but our inspection shows that many of them are inactive

Roiland Martins - GOACAN

Key Committees to Address Health Issues

1. Village Health, Sanitation, and Nutrition Committee (VHSNC)

Led by a female sarpanch or deputy sarpanch, this committee is responsible for community health awareness. The VHSNC receives a minimum of ₹10,000 annually from the Directorate of Health Services for public awareness activities. Additional funding is allocated for specific campaigns such as those addressing vector-borne diseases, tobacco harm reduction, and tuberculosis.

2. Public Health Committee (JAS)

This committee acts as a platform for planning and coordinating actions on social and environmental health issues, including non-communicable diseases, water sanitation, malnutrition, and anaemia. The committee’s work is critical for addressing health concerns at the local level.

3. Patient Welfare Committee (RKS)

Also known as the Patient Welfare Committee, RKS serves as the hospital management structure. Functioning as a registered society, this committee ensures the effective management of hospitals. Panchayat members, acting as trustees, are responsible for overseeing hospital administration and ensuring patient welfare is a priority.

Postcard Campaign for Public Complaints

In an effort to empower citizens to voice their health-related complaints, GoaCan is distributing 5,000 postcards as part of its campaign. These postcards are designed to make the complaint process easier for the public. Complainants can simply write their name, village, and a brief description of their health-related issue on the card and post it. The postcards will be sent directly to the Directorate of Health, which, according to Martins, is required to act on the complaints as per the rules.

Many doctors appointed to health centers are frequently absent. These doctors will soon be held accountable

Roiland Martins - GOACAN

The campaign emphasizes the need for transparency and improved management in public health centers, aiming to ensure that citizens are aware of their rights and that public health services are delivered efficiently.