NT Reporter
Ponda
Data presented during the recent assembly session has underscored the urgent need for better healthcare facilities at the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) in Ponda. Between April 2024 and June 2025, 5,865 patients from Ponda taluka were referred to Goa Medical College (GMC) for treatment.
Of these, 3,876 patients were referred from SDH Ponda, 1,065 from the Betki Primary Health Centre (PHC), 860 from Marcaim PHC, and 64 from Shiroda PHC. The Health Department cited various reasons for the referrals, the majority being CT scans, X-ray opinions, ICU admissions, surgeries, and blood requirements. Other referrals were for ABD opinion, USG opinion, cardiac care and opinions, CCU care, chest medicine, physician opinion, neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry, tertiary care, paediatrics, urology, pulmonary medicine, neurosurgical opinions, and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) opinion.
As the central healthcare facility for taluka, SDH Ponda is expected to serve patients from Betki, Marcaim, Shiroda, and even Dharbandora PHCs. However, patients from these PHCs are frequently sent directly to GMC, Bambolim or South District Hospital due to lack of facilities at SDH Ponda. In the last 15 months, Shiroda PHC referred 475 patients and Dharbandora PHC 431 patients to the South District Hospital.
This situation highlights the inadequacy of SDH Ponda, which despite having large infrastructure, lacks a CT scan unit, intensive care unit (ICU), blood bank, and specialist surgeons. People from Ponda, including social activists and opposition leaders, have repeatedly demanded improved facilities at the SDH Ponda. While Health Minister Vishwajit Rane
had during a recent visit assured CT scan and blood bank facilities, patients in emergency cases are still sent to GMC.
