South Goa District Hospital will begin offering MRI scans, echocardiography and scheduled specialist consultations, reducing the need for residents to travel to Goa Medical College in Bambolim for advanced diagnostics and cardiac and renal care.
An MRI unit established in association with GMC at an estimated cost of Rs 12 crore and an echocardiography machine costing about Rs 35 lakh will be commissioned on Friday, according to the Times of India report. Health officials said doctors and technicians have been trained to operate the new equipment.
The additions are intended to expand the district hospital’s ability to manage patients locally. Until now, shortages of super-specialty consultants and advanced diagnostic facilities have frequently resulted in referrals to GMC, requiring patients from South Goa to travel to Bambolim for investigations and specialist opinions.
Under the new arrangement, a cardiologist from GMC will be available at the district hospital three times a week. Nephrology consultations will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Echocardiography services will be provided to both inpatients and outpatients on designated days.
The MRI unit is the larger of the two new diagnostic investments and is being set up in association with GMC. The report did not specify the exact date on which routine MRI appointments would begin or the number of scans the unit will be able to handle each day. It also did not provide details on user charges, referral protocols or whether emergency cases will receive priority.
The hospital’s expanded services come after repeated concerns over inadequate facilities at South Goa District Hospital. PWD minister Digambar Kamat and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai had raised the issue on several occasions, particularly as the hospital continued to refer patients to GMC because of the shortage of super-specialty consultants.
For patients, the change could reduce the time and travel involved in accessing diagnostic and specialist care. MRI and echocardiography are used in the assessment of a range of conditions, while cardiology and nephrology consultations can provide specialist opinions closer to the district hospital’s catchment area. The extent of the reduction in referrals will depend on the unit’s operating schedule, staffing and capacity after services begin.
Officials said the trained personnel and fixed consultation days would allow more patients to be treated at the district hospital. The immediate implementation milestone is the Friday commissioning of the MRI unit and echocardiography machine, followed by the scheduled specialist clinics.
