MARGAO
Close to a decade after work on the prestigious hospital project had started around 2010, the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) on Monday sent a letter to the Director of Health Services handing over the district hospital building, minus the top two floors, which is in the centre of a controversy over its non-utilization in times of ovid-19 pandemic.
Sources informed that the GSIDC has sent a letter to the Health Director handing over the district hospital, including eight Operation Theatres (OTs) and the medical gas facility.
Minus the top two floors, the South Goa district hospital has 554-beds set up on the four floors, including the ground floor. The original hospital project was designed to accommodate 800-beds, but was later changed and modified to house a 500-beds and accommodate a nursing college on the top two floors.
Presently, the district hospital plays host to the Hospicio OPD services and the male and female wards.
GSIDC General Manager, Jude Carvalho, informed that the new district hospital is now connected with a medical gas facility, which has been commissioned after testing. He said the eight OTs are now at the disposal of the district hospital.
He, however, declined to comment on the controversial top two hospital building floors, only saying these have been modified in the initial design to cater to the requirement of a nursing college. “I have nothing to say on the district hospital top two floors. Design of these two floors had undergone modification after the government had decided to establish a nursing college,” he said, adding that the letter along with the inventory of the hospital building and other items has been sent to the Director of Health Services.
Sources in the know informed that the building’s top two floors will be handed over to the Director of Health Services after commissioning the fire fighting system and the air-conditioning facility.
Questions are being raised in health circles why the GSIDC has not handed over the top two floors to the Director of Health Services, when the building construction is completed in all respect.
Sources in the know informed that work on the entire building stands completed, including the top two floors which was modified in tune with the government’s decision to set up a nursing college, only throwing up the same old question whether the top two floors are for a private college.
Another GSIDC official informed that while the civil works on the top two floors is complete, any modification in the civil works will take some time in the event the government decides to utilize these floors for the hospital.
