Kavlekar says he has been only receiving assurances and dates from Health Minister
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The avowed objective to upgrade the Balli Primary Health Centre (PHC) was to provide better and improved medical facilities to people inhabiting the rural countryside, but the same seems to be stuck in the muck.
The over three-decade-old existing PHC building had literally outlived its utility with the 15-bedded facility unable to meet growing requirements. In fact, it’s not uncommon to find a bed in the Balli PHC being shared by two patients in times of emergencies. To overcome the bed shortage, the previous Congress government had proposed a 30-bedded PHC with modern equipment as per the upgradation project.
But blame it on plain politics following a change in political guard in the state post-2012 polls or otherwise, the proposed upgradation of the Balli PHC is yet to see light of the day till date. The new building structure is ready for occupation, but the slow pace of work has delayed its formal commissioning. Hopes were raised about the early commissioning of the upgraded PHC after the visit of Health Minister, Laxmikant Parsekar, but in vain.
Says Quepem MLA Babu Kavlekar: “The Balli PHC upgradation work was taken up since the existing facilities fell short of requirements. Before the new government took over the reigns, nearly 80-85 per cent of new PHC building was complete. It is indeed sad that the balance work is just dragging on since the last 18 months.”
Kavlekar has raised the issue both inside the assembly and outside, but what he has received in return were only assurances and dates from the Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar. “I fail to understand why the government is dilly dallying with the PHC work. He has only promised me dates since the last 18 months. I do not know whether the government is going slow on the project because it was started during the Congress regime. There should not be any politics when it comes to the health of the people,” Babu rued. He says he has strong reasons to raise suspicions over the delay since his Quepem hospital project too is awaiting commissioning.
Cuncolim MLA Rajan Naik, however, dismissed all talk of politics behind the delay in the commissioning of the project. “I am personally monitoring the work. The building is ready and complete. The beds are also ready and will be moved in the new building at the earliest,” the Cuncolim MLA said, adding that the Health Minister has promised him the commissioning of the upgraded PHC at the earliest.
The Balli PHC is the only government-run health centre that caters to a large section of population inhabiting around 10-odd villages, including Cuncolim, Velim, Assolna, Ambelim, Balli, Barcem, Morpilla, Betul and Fatorpa. In fact, the PHC located on the NH-17 comes in handy to attend to accident victims on the highway before they are shifted to Hospicio or the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim.
