PANAJI
Patients admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) for treatment may soon be provided free caretaker services, with the State government exploring this system aimed at reducing the financial burden on families. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday said the government is considering a structured caretaker programme at GMC, under which attendants would be made available to patients during their hospital stay.
Speaking at the launch of the new life-course immunisation policy on Wednesday, he said, the proposed initiative seeks to end the dependence on private caretakers, who are often hired by patients' families to remain with admitted relatives and assist them during their treatment and stay at the hospital.
Rane said many families currently spend between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 a day on private caretakers, an expense that can be difficult for some, particularly during prolonged hospitalisation. “To ensure that people do not have to pay for such services, the government will develop its own system of care-giving at GMC,” he said.
According to Rane, the proposed arrangement will include a formal framework for caretaker services, with attendants being issued identity cards and brought under an organised mechanism. The move is expected to benefit hundreds of patients, especially those whose family members are unable to remain at the hospital round the clock due to work, distance or financial constraints. While details of the scheme are yet to be finalised, health ministry officials said the initiative is part of the government's efforts to strengthen patient support services at Goa's premier tertiary healthcare institution.
