Team Herald
Ponda: Pondaites strongly opposed the government decision to convert the Ponda Sub District Hospital into full-fledged Covid Hospital.
Locals including MGP leader and MLA Sudin Dhavlikar, Dr Ketan Bhatikar, Sarpanchas of various panchayats, Ponda councillors staged a dharna infront of the Sub District Hospital and questioned the Sub District Hospital in-charge Dr Vikas Kuvelkar and the Health Department Director Joe Desa when they visited the hospital to implement the government Order.
Dr Kuvelkar and Dr Desa said the government had ordered to shift all patients being treated at the hospital to GMC and shut it for general patients.
However locals and MLA opposed to this proposal stating this is the only hospital for emergencies.
Sudin said, “until alternative arrangements are made we will not allow to vacate the hospital nor allow the patients be shifted to GMC”.
He said this is the only hospital having facilities to treat people of the entire Ponda Taluka and surrounding talukas and it would be great injustice if it is vacated.
Sudin who expressed his concern to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said the CM informed him, the hospital was selected as a Covid hospital as it has a oxygen pipeline ready facility in all the wards.
However, Sudin said he pointed out to the CM that such facility is also available at the Curchorem Hospital and
that it is vacant so why it was not selected?.
He said, “till date Pondaitees have not opposed and allowed Covid Care Centres at Shiroda, GEC, NIT, IIT at Farmagudi besides at Tourist Residency quarters. Now the only hospital is converted into a Covid hospital and asked where the Pondaitees will go because except one or two private Hospitals provide services to people”.
Dr Ketan Bhatikar said people have been demanding an MRI and CT scan facilities at the Sub District Hospital but the government neglected the demand and now the government wants to convert it into a Covid Hospital. He questioned who would treat emergency cases if the hospital is convert to a Covid hospital.
He said, GMC is far and it would be difficult for people to get medical treatment on time.
Kavlem Sarpanch Rajesh Kavlekar said several accidents occur in Ponda and asked where these accident patients will be treated.
The locals pointed out that most of the private doctors and hospitals in Ponda do not perform operations and the Sub District Hospital is the only hope for them during emergencies and hence it should not converted into Covid Hospital.
