*How Goa Health Dept. Kills Diabetes Patients * Everyone is aware that Diabetes is a slow but silent killer and that when uncontrolled it affects many major organs, including your heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys.
However it can be controlled if (among other things) the right medications are taken in time. Glimepiride and Metformin are the standard medications prescribed for Type 2 diabetes at the Government Primary Health Centres (PHC) in Goa. Till recently they were dispensed free to patients. However for the last several months Government Primary Health Centres have stopped supplying these medicines to patients. The PHCs plead that the supply of these medicines has been stopped by the Government. On inquiry it is found that the Finance Dept controlled by CM Laxmikant Parsekar has not been signing the cheques to requisition these medicines for the PHCs. This is one of the most cruel decisions of CM Parsekar because it is the poor who are the most affected by this decision. Having to buy these medicines is a huge drain on their resources and many have stopped the medication as they simply don't have the money. I appeal to CM Parsekar to intervene and make sure that the diabetes medicines (as also other life-saving drugs) are made freely available to the Goan public. I also appeal to the press to further investigate and highlight this issue in order to prevent this artificial shortage and ensure that public health is not compromised. Augusto Pinto, 40, Novo Portugal, Moira, Bardez. Ph: 2470336 Mob: 9881126350