VALPOI
Merely providing a new structure does not erase the problems plaguing an institution, which provides vital service to people of Sattari taluka.
The Valpoi Community Health Centre (CHC) has started functioning from the new building, but the problem of shortage of doctors continues to haunt the hospital. The new CHC complex was formally inaugurated nearly 10 months ago, but it started functioning from the new premises only a few days back.
Residents and NGO had to agitate in the past to demand the inauguration of the new CHC building. An NGO now plans to submit a memorandum to the health minister to demand the appointment of adequate staff, including specialised doctors at the CHC, which was upgraded from a primary health centre to a community health centre a few years back.
The Sattari Jagrut Yuva Manch (SJYM), which had initiated a series of agitations in the recent past to demand the early inauguration of the new CHC building, has threatened yet another agitation to get the CHC equipped with the required facilities and specialists in the interest of patients from Sattari taluka and surrounding areas.
“It makes no sense to have posh infrastructure at CHC Valpoi if the hospital lacks specialised doctors and technicians, including ENT, ophthalmologist, paediatrician, surgeon, gynaecologist and radiologist, besides shortage of staff nurses and patient attendants,” said SJYM President Vishwesh Parob.
“Upgrading the health centre from a primary health centre to a community health centre has remained merely on paper, due to lack of government attention in Sattari taluka. Ideally, authorities should have equipped the CHC with the desired facilities and manpower when it was upgraded into a community health centre,” Parob added.
He informed that his organisation plans to meet the health minister to apprise him of all the difficulties faced by patients in Sattari taluka, in the absence of specialised doctors.
Parob also highlighted other problems at the CHC. “The issue of limited diesel quota provided by the health department makes it difficult to transport patients from this hospital to District Hospital Mapusa or GMC Hospital Bambolim during an emergency,” he added.
Vinayak Sacroji of Valpoi said he was happy that the CHC was shifted to a new building, but voiced his dismay over the shortage of specialists at the CHC.
“It’s unfortunate that the government has failed to provide specialised doctors at the hospital. The government should make arrangements to provide specialist doctors at the hospital at least twice a week,” added Sacroji.
A staff employee at the CHC Valpoi, while speaking on condition of anonymity, felt that much of the criticism was unfair, as CHC has been making efforts to treat patients despite the challenges.
“The CHC was shifted from the old 30-bedded hospital to the new 70-bedded hospital. It is true that there is shortage of staff, but the CHC examines and treats 150-200 patients at the OPD each day. Patients are provided the necessary facilities and due care is taken of all patients in the OPD and at the casualty ward,” said the source.
“In addition, the Valpoi CHC caters to the needs of 18 sub-health centres in Sattari taluka,” admitted the source.
