Lament Curtorim primary health centre has failed to cater to growing needs
TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: When will the government listen to the cries of villagers of Navelim constituency, besides neighbouring Dramapur-Sirlim for an independent Health Centre to cater to their growing needs?
De-linking them from the Curtorim Primary Health Centre by setting up a full-fledged health centre at Navelim has been a long standing demand of the villagers, but in vain. The reasons are not far to seek. The 12-bedded Curtorim Primary Health Centre caters to around a lakh population spread across 11 villages in Salcete ~ right from Curtorim to Sao Jose de Areal in the east and Navelim and Dramapur-Sirlim on the west. It has just one ambulance at its disposal and no other vehicle to transport officials for inspections. In the absence of any vehicle, parties are made to arrange their own transport to PHC centres for inspections. It is one of the few primary health centres which has no 108 ambulance facility. The centre has two sanitary inspectors, but they have been found inadequate given the huge size of the jurisdiction.
That’s not all. Villages in Navelim constituency, including Navelim, Telaulim, Aquem-Baixo, Rumdamol and Davorlim are located kilometres away from Curtorim. There’s no easy availability of public transport connecting these villages to Curtorim.
In the case of Dramapur-Sirlim, villagers are forced to travel to Curtorim when there’s a full-fledged primary centre at neighbouring Chinchinim.
Navelim MLA and Fisheries Minister, Avertano Furtado echoed similar sentiments. “The Curtorim health centre has failed to meet our requirements. I have been pursuing with the government to set up a full-fledged health centre in Navelim constituency. There’s been a demand for two health centres at Rumdamol and Davorlim. A lone sub-centre at Navelim has failed to meet the health requirements,” Furtado said.
Panch member of Dramapur-Sirlim Panchayat, Domnick Noronha said it is absurd that the village comes under the jurisdiction of Curtorim when there’s a health centre next door at Chinchinim. “Unlike Curtorim, we can have easy access to Chinchinim within minutes, but that has failed to open the eyes of successive governments,” he lamented.
In fact, demand for full-fledged health centre in Navelim constituency had echoed at the village gram sabhas in the past. Visit by Health Minister, Laxmikant Parsekar to Navelim couple of months had raised hopes that a full-fledged health centre will finally become a reality, but in vain.
Incidentally, people of Curtorim and surrounding villages have been demanding upgradation of the Curtorim health centre. Says Curtorim Deputy Sarpanch, J Santano Rodrigues: “When former Health Minister Vishwajit Rane visited Curtorim village, he had promised upgradation. There’s no 108 ambulance with the PHC. Even for minor ailments, patients are required to be transported to Hospicio. There’s indeed a need for immediate upgradation of the Curtorim PHC.
The 12-bedded Curtorim Primary Health Centre caters to around a lakh population spread across 11 villages in Salcete ~ right from Curtorim to Sao Jose de Areal in the east and Navelim and Dramapur-Sirlim on the west
