Goa Health Dept Reports Decrease in Hospital Referrals Amid Concerns Over Patient Care

Porvorim: Over 1.8 lakh referrals were made by primary health centres, urban health centres, community health centres, and primary urban health centres to the Goa Medical College Hospital (GMC), South Goa District Hospital, District Hospital, Mapusa, and Sub-District Hospital, Ponda, over the last five years. Health minister Vishwajit Rane said that the referrals had decreased.
Leader of opposition Yuri Alemao said that when an accident takes place, the patient is first shifted to a primary health centre, then to a district hospital, and by the time they reach Goa Medical College, damage is already done in the four-hour golden period. Alemao said that referrals increased and people are dying.
Rane said that the details of the steps taken by govt to minimise referrals from the North Goa District Hospital, Asilo, to GMC include conducting monthly audit referrals, getting ICU infrastructure ready, and starting the HR recruitment process. Once done, patients referred for critical care will be reduced. A tie-up with Radiance Diagnostics, Mapusa, for emergency CT scans is awaiting govt approval. All codal procedures are completed by North Goa District Hospital, Mapusa, and procurement of a new CT scan machine is also in process by the directorate of health services, Panaji.
Rane said that the details of the steps taken by govt to minimise referrals from Sub-District Hospital, Ponda, to GMC include the appointment of a surgeon, which is under process, a CT scan proposal has been sent to govt, and the appointment for posting of staff for the functioning of the blood storage unit is under process.
Rane said that the ICU is functioning on the third floor of the South Goa District Hospital. The urban health centre at Margao has partly occupied the fourth floor (B wing) for an immunisation programme and partly occupied the C wing. The assisted reproductive technology (ART) centre is on the fourth floor C wing . The Institute of Nursing Education is proposed on the fourth and fifth of South Goa District Hospital.