MAPUSA: The statue of Dr Ernest Borges, the once famous and most sought after cancer specialist of India is still lying neglected in front of the old Asilo hospital at Mapusa.

It may be recalled that ‘The Navhind Times’ had last October highlighted the poor condition of this statue, inspite of this no efforts have been made by anyone concerned to maintain the statue, and this is definitely not meant to be called a ‘Homage of Bardez’ as been written on pedestal of the statue.

The late Dr Borges hailing from Uccassaim was a reputed cancer surgeon in Mumbai. He was a respected, admired and a most sought after cancer specialist in India in those days.

He was even the chief surgeon and superintendent of the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai. Being a doctor with a human touch, a gentle character, he not only excelled in the medical field in India but earned recognition worldwide and was even invited by Pope Paul VI to the Vatican to deliberate on ethical issues such as birth control. Dr Borges, who was a specialist of cancer, finally succumbed to this same disease on March 3, 1969.

The road infront of Tata Hospital is named after him, however, in Goa unfortunately such a great stalwart does not get his due recognition. It is a ‘cheap trend’ to erect statues in somebody’s honour, but these same statues are neglected and left to weather away.

No statues erected in memory of great personalities are protected, preserved and maintained. The statue of Dr Borges is also no exception.

The pedestal of the statue has cracked and the spectacles are almost broken. Though it is learnt that the administration and not his family members had erected this statue after his demise, the same administration has forgotten about it.

The family members consisting of his son Dr Eric Borges and daughter Dr Anita Borges were recently in Goa to institute a fellowship at the GMC in memory of their father. Through the fellowship, one doctor or nurse will be selected each year to be trained in the aspects of treatment of cancer for a month at the Tata Hospital.

Dr Luzito D’Souza from the Tata Hospital considered to be a follower of the late Dr Borges was the chief guest. The fellowship has been instituted by the children of Dr Borges to commemorate the conclusion of the birth centenary celebrations of their father, who was born on September 7, 1909.

It is quite ironical that while on the one hand there is a fellowship constituted in the name of Dr Borges, on the other hand his statue in Mapusa is left neglected.

Dr Shekhar Salkar, the renowned cancer specialist from Goa said that a thought could be given to the idea regarding observing the birth anniversary of Dr Borges and perhaps all cancer specialist doctors from Goa and India could come together to pay homage to Dr Borges every year on his birth anniversary.

Dr Salkar said that he would try and work this out if it was possible. He also felt that the administration should take steps to celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr Borges and maintain his statue.

He also said that a suggestion was made to the government to name a cancer section of the GMC or such a section at the new district hospital at Mapusa after Dr Borges. Another senior doctor from the GMC, however, suggested that the statue should be relocated from its existing position to the inner entrance of the new district hospital at Mapusa so that all people entering the hospital look at this statue and admire the genius, and here too his birth and death anniversary could be celebrated .

Speaking on condition of anonymity he said, "We often opt for erecting statues and then forgetting them. Statues erected and left in the open get weathered away and this is definitely not any tribute to people whose statues we erect." He felt that perhaps as the statue was not erected by the family members they did not express any keen desire to maintain it and now it was the duty of the state government and the Mapusa Municipality to give Dr Borges his due recognition.