MARGAO: An assurance was given by the State government to the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court that steps have been taken to see that required staff are appointed to the South Goa District Hospital (SGDH).
This was conveyed by Advocate General Devidas Pangam to the HC.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Furthermore, according to a submission made to the HC by the Director of the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) Dr Geeta Kakodkar, the State Cabinet had resolved to approve the contractual appointment of eight consultants, 20 staff nurses, 10 medical officers, one matron and six OT anaesthesia technicians for the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the South and North Goa District Hospitals.
According to her, a decision has also been made to outsource the services of ten multitasking employees to Goa Human Resource Development Corporation (GHRDC) till the positions are regularly filled.
Dr Kakodkar refuted the claim that the hospital’s non-operationality is caused by a shortage of staff members or physicians and pointed out that there were no ICU facilities available at old Hospicio, which was the earlier district hospital for South Goa.
She also mentioned that the government is still considering a proposal for the creation of posts for the nine-bedded ICU/CCU, high dependence unit, step down ICU, blood component separation unit for SGDH. Dr Kakodkar added that all the major grievances of the petitioner raised in the PIL would be fulfilled as soon as these posts are created, and vacancies filled on a regular basis.
It may be recalled that SGDH was commissioned as a Covid-19 facility during the pandemic. The district hospital which was earlier at the old Hospcio premises was then shifted in a phased manner to the new SGDH premises in October 2021.
According to Dr Kakodkar, critical patients who are brought to the hospital are currently transferred to GMC after receiving the necessary care and stabilisation.
The HC had taken up the matter after Fatorda MLA and Goa Forward Party (GFP) President Vijai Sardesai had filed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in response to the district hospital’s inadequate infrastructure. He had asked for instructions to staff the trauma centre and ICU and get them functioning as soon as possible. He had submitted to the HC that even with equipment, the trauma unit and intensive care unit were not operating because of a staffing shortage.
