On 2nd October last year amidst the raging pandemic residents of Ribandar and surrounding villages braved holding a public demonstration demanding that fully fledged medical facilities be made available at the Old Ribandar Hospital.
Needless to state, the Old Ribandar Hospital was Asia’s first medical school with a very glorious history and this priceless heritage structure needs to be preserved by restoring the premises with all possible Health Care facilities.
After a year long struggle we are now informed that a Ribandar Health Center will see the light of the day on 2nd October which is Gandhi Jayanti.
We had been promised that the Health facilities at the Old Ribandar Hospital would start as 30 bedded with a 24X7 Casualty cum Trauma unit equipped with all the required facilities and that it would be expanded in stages to be a fully fledged Hospital.
We are aware that Union Minister Shripad Naik and his son Siddesh with vested interests have been sabotaging the setting up of our Health Center but it is for the government to live up to its promise.
The promised Community Health Center at the Old Ribandar hospital would benefit not only a densely populated Ribandar but also neighboring residents of Chimbel, Merces, Old Goa and the Island of Divar.
We will have to keep our fingers crossed till 2nd October to see what the government actually delivers.
