Former Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes in the presence of former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and others, inaugurating the upgraded 100-bedded ESI hospital at Margao.
It was on March 3, 2014, when former Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes descended in Margao, to commission the 100-bedded upgraded ESI hospital amidst a host of dignitaries, including former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Labour Minister Avertano Furtado, MP Shantaram Naik, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat. Two years on, the commissioned hospital is yet to begin full-fledged operation for want of medical equipment and manpower. The upgraded hospital has a 100-bed capacity, but the hospital is currently reduced to a 10-bedded unit for want of basic infrastructure, reports Guilherme Almeida
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Former Union minister Oscar Fernandes had ostensibly rushed with the inauguration of the upgraded 100-bedded ESI hospital at Margao two years ago, to beat the election code of conduct ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Inaugurated with much fanfare two years ago, the ESI hospital catering to the working class and employees, is devoid of the amenities promised at the time of commissioning.
A visit to the hospital located adjacent to the Rajendra Prasad stadium revealed that though it’s two years down the line, basic equipment is yet to fall in place. The hospital has been upgraded to 100 beds, but inquiries revealed that the available staff can only cater to run 10 beds.
Inquiries by The Goan further revealed that none of the medical equipment required for the upgraded hospital has been put in place. And, the process to purchase the equipment has been further hit by absence of bidders.
The Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), which has been entrusted the responsibility of tendering the medical equipment, was frank in admitting that there have been no takers from prospective bidders for the supply of certain items of medical equipment.
In fact, if GSIDC Managing Director Sanjit Rodrigues is to be believed, the GSIDC had re-tendered some of the medical equipment as many as five times, but the response from the bidders has been either poor or lukewarm. “The GSIDC was entrusted with the task of purchasing 13 packages of medical equipment worth around Rs 7 crore. Accordingly, we had constituted a team of officials drawn from the Labour, Health and ESI departments, to help the agency in floating the tenders. Of the 13 packages of equipment, the GSIDC has successfully tendered six packages of equipment till date," Sanjit told The Goan, saying that the supply order will be issued to the successful bidders only upon placement of funds by the ESI Corporation.
He, however, said that tenders for the balance seven packages of equipment could not be taken to the logical conclusion for want of bidders. “We had to re-tender the balance six packages of equipment as many as five times, but there have been no bidders," Sanjit said.
Labour Minister Avertano Furtado, admitted that the full-fledged operation of the upgraded ESI hospital has been hit by the delay in putting the medical equipment in place. To make matters worse, he said the absence of bidders to supply certain packages of medical equipment has thrown all plans haywire, to commission the hospital at the earliest. “From our side, we have completed the process to recruit nurses to run the upgraded hospital. The shortlisted nurses will be given appointment letters no sooner the equipment and other infrastructure is put in place," Avertano said, while re-assuring that efforts are on to commission the hospital at the earliest.
Inquiries by The Goan revealed that the ESI hospital building has not yet been handed over to the Medical Superintendent, Dr Vishwajit Faldesai till date. And, in the absence of infrastructure, including manpower and equipment, the hospital has been literally reduced to a 10-bedded hospital. “The process to recruit nurses and medical officers stands completed. We need surgeons and the process is underway. Actual appointment of the nurses, doctors and medical officers will take place only after purchase of equipment," Dr Faldesai said.
Incidentally, no one knows for certain when the upgraded 100-bedded hospital “ commissioned exactly two years ago “ will finally be fully operational.
