Panjim: While hundreds of residents of Ribandar, Chimbel, Merces and surrounding areas held a protest march demanding a full-fledged health facility to cater to their people, the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that the Old Goa Medical College (GMC) building at Ribandar would be converted into Primary Health Centre (PHC).
The residents, however, have declined to accept the proposal of PHC, while setting a 15-day deadline for a state-of-the-art full-fledged Health Centre.
Speaking to reporters after paying formal tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti at Old Goa, the CM informed that the request for a Health Centre at Ribandar has come from Panjim MLA Atanasio Monserrate and Cumbharjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar.
“The proposals been delayed due to pandemic. We have decided to convert the Old GMC hospital at Ribandar into a Primary Health Centre to cater to the people from Ribandar, Old Goa and surrounding areas. The work would be taken up shortly,” Sawant declared.
Earlier, on the other hand, several residents held a protest opposite the Old Ribandar Hospital and set a 15- day ultimatum to the government to decide on the unanimous demand of the people that a fully fledged Health Centre be set up at the old Ribandar Hospital with all medical facilities.
The meeting, which was presided by Rupesh Harlankar the local Corporator and Convenor of the Ribandar Health Care Committee, was attended by residents as well members of Old Goa, Chimbel and Merces Panchayats and the other Ribandar Corporator Arati Harlankar.
In a resolution passed unanimously, the meeting reminded the Government that in August 2017, the then Chief Minister (late) Manohar Parrikar had publicly assured the residents of Ribandar that he would ensure that within three months, full Medical care services and facilities would be restored at the Old Ribandar hospital.
The resolution also drew the attention of the government that even the sitting Panjim MLA Monserrate had in his May 2019 by-election manifesto, promised the people of a 24X7 Health Care Centre at Ribandar with a fully fledged casualty unit.
Their resolution expressed the urgent need of a 24-hour, well equipped Health Centre, which should be at least a 10-bedded male and female ward medical facility with X-ray, Sonography, CT scan, MRI, Laboratory and other facilities.
The resolution also highlighted the fact that besides catering to the health needs of the very densely populated Ribandar, the Medical Centre would also benefit the residents of neighboring Old Goa, Corlim, Divar, Chorao, Merces and Chimbel.
