Team Goemkarponn
BICHOLIM: Patients across Goa can now access free laser treatment for varicose veins at the Bicholim Community Health Centre (CHC), with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday describing the facility as a major step towards making specialised healthcare available in the government sector.
Sawant said the treatment was previously unavailable in government hospitals or under the Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY), forcing many patients to seek costly private care. He said the operation theatre at Bicholim CHC was upgraded with modern equipment, enabling patients from Pernem to Canacona to avail the service free of cost.
Highlighting the government’s broader healthcare initiatives, the Chief Minister said DDSSY now provides health coverage of up to ₹4 lakh per family, while families with more than four members are eligible for benefits of up to ₹6 lakh. He added that the state spends nearly ₹70 crore annually on treatment at empanelled private hospitals under the scheme.
Sawant also urged people to adopt yoga and preventive healthcare practices, saying regular exercise and health check-ups can help reduce the incidence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart ailments.
He further noted that the specialised cataract surgery unit at Sanquelim Community Health Centre has completed 1,000 surgeries within a year of its establishment, calling it another milestone in strengthening Goa’s public healthcare infrastructure.
