Folks It is shocking to hear how bad things are regarding medical provision today in Goa especially in emergencies and at the supposedly prestigious Goa Medical College.
Once on just arriving in Goa in the 1970s on holiday, my young children were taken very ill having eaten egg-based sandwiches on a Swiss Air flight. I had to drive like someone demented, first trying to find a recommended doctor, and then desperatly trying to obtain urgently needed prescribed drugs from any pharmacy open late at night. After endless driving on unnamed and unlit roads, I stopped at Margao Hospicio where a kindly doctor gave me the drugs free that I needed so badly. In 1990, that is some time ago, I couldn't get an ambulance, for any amount of money, to have my very sick mother to a hospital in Vasco. Even worse was that when she died, I could only get an obliging truck driver to deliver her body home in the back of his open truck. Things were bad then and I can't believe they are even worse today. For God's sake, WHY? WHY? WHY? If it is possible for a collection to be made for an up to date ambulance in Goa, I would be the first to make a financial contribution if someone will please advise on this matter. Therefore, why is Goa over four decades after 1961 so backward in the provison of such basic essentials? And do the Western tourists know about this state of affairs? Peru for instance is not particularly well off as a country but they had excellent medical facilities (ambulances, English speaking doctors, nurses, equipment, drips and drugs for every requirement) when I was in need in August 2007 in the high altitude town of Cusco. Further, as a tourist, they readily collected me (accompanied by my wife)in an excellent ambulance, in next to no time from our hotel, treated me really well and only politely enquired if I had medical travel insurance when I was ready to leave hospital. I was indeed so impressed that I invited a particular young doctor who treated me to visit me and my family in London. Cuba too, a pretty poor country, has excellent medical provisions at no cost to the people there nor to tourists. I'm afraid I am intensely angry about the awful conditions in Goa as described by several posters and I really want to do something about it even if from faraway London. Just tell me someone--anyone, what the hell can I do to be of some help however minimal. And is it really as bad as I read in the Goanet posts? Please would someone reliable that I know, like Cecil, Miguel or Frederick provide confirmation on this last point? Cornel DaCosta PS How on earth does medical tourism operate in Goa when there is seemingly so little for the local people at a key hospital like the GMC? --- Agnelo Fernandes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote > > In GMC, if an accident victim is brought to casualy, > it seems even a stretcher is not brought out to take him inside, unless one of the > relatives of the patients uses some contacts. > > It seems that there is no avaiablity of basic things > such as syringes, and injections, or IV drip in GMC. All these have to be bought by patients from private hospitals, and only then any treatment starts.