The South Goa District Hospital is facing a critical shortage of cardiology services. There is no dedicated cardiology department or full-time cardiologist, with only a lone consultant available once a week. This situation is set to worsen as senior physician Dr Edward D’Mello, widely regarded as the face of the hospital, is set to retire after 32 years of service
The impending retirement of senior district hospital physician Dr Eddie D’Mello (with Health Minister Vishwajit Rane in this file photo) has raised questions about the future of cardiac care at the premier government facility.
Photo Credits: The Goan/File photo
MARGAO
The imposing South Goa district hospital, catering to the South district, has neither a cardiology department nor a cardiologist to attend to patients with cardiac issues.
Only a lone consultant is available once a week at the district hospital every Thursday, leaving no option for the hospital management to refer patients with heart-related issues to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim.
Patients may soon encounter another major issue – the absence of a popular face in the district hospital. Senior physician Dr Edward D’Mello, popularly known as Dr Eddie, is set to retire in a month and a half on December 31 after putting in 32 years of service.
Many say Dr Eddie has been the senior-most doctor and the face of the district hospital over the years. In the absence of a cardiologist or a cardiology department, patients used to look forward to Dr Eddie, the senior physician, to attend to cardiac issues.
“We have no idea about the government’s plans as Dr Eddie is set to retire from service on December 31 this year. He has been the face of the hospital over the years. Right now, we have no cardiologist or a cardiology department. It is purely for the government to take a call to find a replacement for the senior physician,” informed a senior district hospital official.
Incidentally, though the district hospital was commissioned over two years ago, the cardiology department is yet to be established at the hospital, notwithstanding repeated assurances by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to set up full-fledged cardiology and urology departments at the district hospital.
On Monday, a Congress delegation led by South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes, South Goa District Congress Chief Savio D’Silva, and Congress leader Savio Coutinho descended at the South Goa district hospital to assess the status of the promised cardiology department, only to find that the hospital does not even have a full-fledged cardiologist. “It is indeed a matter of concern that the district hospital, catering to the entire South Goa district, has no cardiologist. We are told that a lone consultant visits the hospital every Thursday. This only goes to show that patients with cardiac and pressure issues are referred to the GMC, Bambolim. This cannot go on and on,” Viriato said.
Sources said that in the absence of a cardiologist, patients are facing double trouble. For, they are required to be shifted to the GMC, Bambolim, and more often than not, the district hospital faces issues over the availability of ambulances.
Captain Viriato told the media that he would honour the promise of providing an ambulance to the South Goa district hospital out of MLPAD funds. “I have sanctioned the ambulance after former MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho drew my attention to the ambulance shortage plaguing the district hospital after a resident of Colmorod died in an accident,” he said.
