TEAM HERALD
PORVORIM: If the Mapusa District Hospital is without a full-fledged head the situation is no different at the Aldona Primary Health Centre (PHC), which is functioning without a full-fledged health officer since the last one month.
Former health officer Dr Pradeep Dhavjekar retired on July 31 and the charge was handed over to his subordinate, Dr Roshan Nazareth. However, till date the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) is yet to appoint a health officer.
In all, nine sub-health centres at Pomburpa, Saloi, Britona, Calvim, Corjuem, Moira, Bastora, Soccoro and Betim come under the jurisdiction of the Aldona PHC and doctors attached to Aldona PHC are expected to visit these sub-health centres at least once a week.
At present, the Aldona PHC has only four doctors, including Dr Nazareth who is also required to attend to his normal duties at the Outdoor Patient Department (OPD) in the health centre. If one doctor goes on leave or is absent, work at the Aldona PHC gets affected.
The Aldona PHC is a 12-bedded health centre, but hardly any patient is admitted at the health centre. When Herald visited the health centre recently, all beds in the female and male wards were found empty.
According to hospital sources, all patients at the Aldona PHC are referred to the Mapusa District Hospital at Mapusa due to lack of proper infrastructure.
Aldona PHC has a labour room, but in the absence of a gynaecologist, the labour room has remained unutilized for years together. The health centre is also equipped with an operation theatre, but there are no surgeons to perform operations.
Besides, X-ray technicians are available only twice a week. There are no canteen facilities even though about 100-150 people visit the health centre everyday.
“If the required medical staff is recruited and there is proper use of the available facilities, the Aldona PHC can certainly reduce the load on the Mapusa District Hospital,” a source said.
