Team Herald
CUNCOLIM: The irregular power supply of the newly-constructed Balli Primary Health Centre (PHC) is proving to a nightmare for the hospital’s staff and patients. They are often forced to use candles at night as the health department has not installed a generator system or an inverter in the building. PHC officials made several pleas to the health department, to no effect.
“Power failures have become regular at PHC. It is difficult to work at night. It is ridiculous that the government cannot provide a generator system for such an important health centre,” said a PHC source.
A few patients also narrated their experiences to Herald. One stated that it was difficult to get the through the night without fans, while another said the doctors and nurses were forced to ask the patients themselves to get candles from the market.
The PHC, which is the only health centre in the area, caters to people from Cuncolim, Balli, Phatorpa, Assolna, Velim, Morpilla, Barsem, Bendurdem and remote areas in Quepem.
Locals blamed the government for inaugurating the new building without providing the facilities required for its smooth functioning. They said the PHC lacked proper medication, which meant patients had to get medicines from private pharmaceuticals.
Chief Minister and former Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had promised x-ray and pathological facilities, which have still not arrived. The PHC’s government-nominated Visiting Committee has not met once in the last three years. The building does not even have an elevator.
The locals urged their MLA to quickly resolve the problems.
