Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Mar 29: Around 12,000 critical patients every year are referred from Goa’s district and sub-district hospitals to Goa Medical College, highlighting persistent gaps in specialised healthcare facilities across the state.

Officials said both the North Goa district hospital and the Ponda sub-district hospital routinely refer accident, cardiac, stroke and other serious cases due to the absence of key infrastructure and super-speciality services.

At the North Goa district hospital, the lack of ICCU, CCU, HDU and PICU facilities, along with the absence of departments such as neurology, cardiology, neurosurgery, nephrology, plastic surgery, paediatric surgery and urology, has led to frequent referrals. Diagnostic limitations further compound the issue, with MRI, CT and HRCT scans unavailable, and the CT scan machine remaining non-functional since March 2024.

The South Goa district hospital also refers a large number of cases, particularly those requiring cardiology, neurology and nephrology consultations. Patients with chronic kidney disease, acute renal failure requiring dialysis, unstable cardiac conditions needing angiography, and stroke cases are routinely sent to GMC.

Emergency cases such as neurotoxic snake bites requiring ICU care, intracerebral bleeding needing neurosurgical evaluation, and severe respiratory illnesses like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia requiring ventilator support are also referred.

Among paediatric patients, those needing intensive care, advanced neonatal support, or specialised investigations such as MRI and bone marrow tests are transferred to GMC due to limited facilities locally.

In a partial relief, the ICU at the South Goa district hospital became operational in May 2024 following a high court petition. Additionally, the Public Works Department has begun work on a Level II trauma care unit near the casualty wing, expected to handle accident and trauma cases and reduce referrals once completed.

The South Goa district hospital, currently operating at its full capacity of 500 beds, continues to face staff shortages despite the recent addition of six doctors, with three more expected to join soon. While nursing staff has been augmented, there remains a shortage of multi-tasking staff.

The hospital records a daily outpatient footfall of 1,500 to 1,700 patients, with 350–400 admissions, while its casualty department alone handles around 150 cases each day, putting further strain on existing resources.