Speed up 24x7 care centre on Chorao island: Rights panel

Panaji: The Goa Human Rights Commission on Friday recommended to the directorate of health services (DHS) that it expedites the setting up of a 24x7 emergency care centre on Chorao island within 90 days.

The commission has called for an action taken report to be submitted by May 6.A resident of the island complained about the lack of a resident doctor at night at the govt health centre on the island, stating that residents were left with no other option but to cross a ferry to avail health services. Following the complaint, the commission last month issued notice to the DHS.The medical officer in charge of the primary health centre at Mayem, Dr Urmila Gauns, placed on record a letter of the DHS dated Jan 28, a proposal towards setting up a 24x7 emergency care centre.

This was put to govt to obtain approval for Rs 21.7 lakh as capital expenditure and Rs 45 lakh as operating expenses for the centre.The doctor, in her response to the commission, also stated that presently an on-call 108 ambulance was available in the Chorao vicinity, and that the road access via Calvim bridge between the rural medical dispensary (RMD), Chorao, and Mapusa district hospital, was 15-20 km, which functioned 24x7 with ambulance services.She also stated that the road distance between the RMD Chorao and PHC Mayem was 8 to 9 km. PHC Mayem functioned from 9am to 4.30pm, and on Saturday from 9am to 1pm with ambulance services, she added.