Staff crunch hits Aldona health centre

SALIGAO: Patients visiting the primary health centre (PHC) at Aldona have complained of being forced to wait in long queues for several hours just to get themselves checked. The situation was particularly bad on Friday, they said, as a shortage of doctors resulted in serpentine queues.

The sole government-run healthcare facility in the area, the Aldona PHC caters to the villages of Ecoxim, Pomburpa, Bastora, Uccassaim, Calvim, Nachinola and Aldona.

“There was just one doctor at the PHC on Friday, when my mother and I went to get ourselves checked. Several others had been waiting in long queues since early morning,” a patient told TOI. “If such a situation prevails, we can only imagine the plight of patients who come in seeking immediate care for serious illnesses.”

The Aldona PHC is a 12-bedded health centre equipped with an operation theatre, but the lack of doctors has compelled patients to travel further away, to the north Goa district hospital at Mapusa, to seek medical aid.

Aldona PHC health officer Dr Manish Gaunekar, said four medical officers are deputed at the centre, two of whom attend to the outpatient department.

“There is no shortage of doctors, but since one doctor was on leave for a couple of days, a situation might have arisen on that particular day at the health centre,” Gaunekar said.