Locals demand additional doctors for night shift at Bicholim CHC

Bicholim: Bicholim residents have demanded that at least two doctors be posted on night duty at the Bicholim community health centre (CHC).

Social activist Sachin Mayekar said the only doctor on night shift is not able to attend to all the patients. “Patients suffer, or they have to go elsewhere,” he said.

On Wednesday, Mayekar said, a critical patient was left on a stretcher as there was no one to attend to him. “The only doctor on duty had gone for dinner while the patient and his relatives had to wait till he returned. At least, govt must appoint one more doctor so that the laod is not only on one doctor and patients do not suffer,” he added.

He said Bicholim MLA Chandrakant Shetye, who himself is a doctor, should take up the issue with health minister Vishwajit Rane.

Some locals complained that most of the time the chest X-ray machine went out of order. Patients needing the service were turned down, or had to go to Sanquelim community healh centre. “Elderly patients are most inconvienced by this,” a local said.