SANGUEM: The construction of a new building to house the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Sanguem is progressing rapidly. However, the key question that remains unanswered is whether the new building will house an upgraded PHC with improved facilities or function similarly to the old one.
Local residents of Sanguem have long been advocating for the upgrading of the health centre, as they believe that the existing facilities fall short of meeting their healthcare needs.
Unfortunately, these pleas have gone largely unheard by successive governments, and the PHC continues to operate as a basic first-aid treatment centre.
Sources within the Health Centre have revealed that if the local community makes a concerted and written demand for upgraded facilities, the government might be more inclined to consider their request.
Many locals remember that when Pandu Vassu Naik represented the Sanguem constituency, he frequently raised the issue of PHC upgrades in the legislative assembly. However, since his tenure, no other representative has been as proactive in addressing this matter on the floor of the House.
One of the challenges the PHC currently faces is the lack of adequate lighting. The facility relies on torchlights and mobile phone lights, as there is no provision for a generator, and the X-ray machine cannot be used due to insufficient voltage in the power supply.
Former CM late Manohar Parrikar, during a visit to the city, had assured that the facilities at Sanguem PHC would be improved.
Regrettably, these assurances have yet to be fulfilled, leaving locals hopeful that the new PHC building will not be a mere waste of public funds and that an upgrade will be implemented to better serve the community's healthcare needs.