Chicalim hospital in need of mortuary

VASCO: The Chicalim sub-district hospital is badly in need of a mortuary, especially after the hospital has been converted into a 30-bed Covid hospital for patients with mild symptoms. Already two deaths have occurred here and the staff had a tough time preserving the bodies till they were taken by the families.
Recently, a woman from Baina was rushed to the hospital in the evening, but died immediately.Since the family could not arrange for a burial at night, they came to pick-up the body the next morning. Meanwhile, as per Covid protocol, a separate room had to be identified to preserve the body till it was collected.
Hospital sources said, “We had a mortuary in the old building which was supposed to be renovated. But since the inception of the new premises, that work has not been taken up and the file is pending with the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation. A letter of correspondence was made a few months ago. We have asked for a new mortuary.”
The sources said that there is an option to send the bodies to Hospicio at Margao for preservation. But for this, they have to arrange for hearse vans through the deputy collector, Mormugao.