MAPUSA: The primary health centre located at Casarvannem, Dhargal in Pernem is catering to a large floating population with maximum cases of TB reported normally. Cases of malaria and chikungunya detected here are on the rise especially during the monsoons.
The health centre caters to a population of around 40,000. There are seven sub-centres and one rural medical dispensary in the jurisdiction of the health centre. All required medical facilities such as casualty, opthalmology, general OPD, immunisation, ante-natal check ups, etc, can be availed here. The staff strength is 45.
However, the centre caters to a large floating population who are TB carriers. This is due to the fact that the health centre is located in Dhargal where there are a large number of stone crushers and hot-mixing plants.
Besides, in the monsoons, chikungunya and malaria cases are also on the upswing. Officials present informed that TB cases once detected were immediately given the DOTS treatment and thus kept under control though a large number of cases were being detected at any given time.
With regards to malaria and chikungunya, the officials were taking utmost care to implement measures to stop the spread of these two diseases. As a number of sub centers are located in interior areas of Dhargal where transport is a problem, people prefer to take their sick ones to the hospital located at Dodamarg, Maharashtra; people staying at Ibrampur and its surrounding areas found it difficult to travel all the way to Casarvannem.
With the onset of the monsoon, the health officials are taking every step to keep malaria and chikungunya under control, even while the treatment for around 20 TB patients is underway.
Officials informed that the cure rate for TB is high now with advanced treatment. However the health centre is still ailing on other fronts, it was said. Officials are of the view that the barren patch in front of the PHC could be converted into a small garden. The housing quarters are lying vacant as the rent is too high and cannot be afforded by an ordinary employee of the health centre.
In the summer season, water scarcity is a serious problem. The centre did not even have an ambulance until recently. However, what is still a major drawback at this centre is that there is no facility by which a disabled or an old person can enter as there is no ramp.
Officials pointed out that when sick people are brought on stretchers, it is difficult to lift them up and felt that a ramp is an absolute necessity. Even though the PWD has been asked to construct such a path, nothing has been done till date, officials said.
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