This is in reference to the news about Goa and Maharashtra joining hands for the people of Sindhudurg. Are GMC and the North Goa District hospital meant to be revenue generating infrastructure for the state of Goa or are these structures part of the health infrastructure for the people of Goa? If these hospitals are related to health infrastructure, then how come the Minister for Health, Viswajit Rane is allowing our Goan hospitals to be empanelled with the neighbouring state’s (Maharashtra) health insurance? Is the Minister for Health not aware that the existing infrastructure at GMC is not sufficient to cater to the people of Goa? Has he not seen patients, mostly Goans, sleeping on the ground, due to lack of beds and space for the same? Presently, patients from other states i.e. Maharashtra and Karnataka avail of the medical facilities at our hospitals. After this empanelment, won’t the number of patients from these states increase and by right demand for all medical facilities? What will be the fate of our local patients? The Minister for Health has to answer these questions before another agitation starts. Please don’t take the people of Goa for granted and stop the sale of Goa’s health sector.
Lester Pereira, via email
