TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Ailing Hospicio was back in the news on Monday as an inspection of the hospital by Congress workers unearthed glaring discrepancies, with patients complaining of shortage of medicine and bed linen, besides beds.
Many a patient told the visiting Congress delegation that they have no option other than to procure the medicines from the market to meet the requirements. It has also come to light that the hospital suffered major shortage of linen with patients bringing their own linen to overcome the shortage.
When Hospicio medical superintendent Dr Siona Gomes was confronted with the problems by the patients, she said that Hospicio had made the requisition to the Director of Health Services in respect of medicines and linen, but in vain. “We have sent our detailed requisition to the DHS vis-a-vis medicines and linen. You may ask the concerned officials over the medicine and linen shortage,” Dr Gomes told the Congress delegation.
The delegation also witnessed the plight of women in the gynaecology department, as they found as many as four patients accommodated on two beds. When the Hospicio Medical Superintendent was asked to shed light on this, Dr Gomes expressed her helplessness saying the hospital is hit by a bed shortage. “Though Hospicio is overstretched as far as possible due to bed shortage, we ensure that patients are not sent home for want of beds. We try to accommodate as many patients as possible in the hospital,” she added.
On the non functioning mortuary unit, Dr Gomes made it clear to the delegation that the unit at the Hospicio is irreparable and that her office has sent a proposal for its condemnation.
The delegation comprising of Councillors Damu Shirodkar, Doris Texeira, Avinash Shirodkar, Rosy Pereira, besides the president of Margao Block, youth and Mahila Congress has now disclosed plans to call on the Director of Health Services and submit a memorandum to pay attention to Hospicio’s problem and ensure the early commissioning of the new district hospital under construction.
