the goan I network
Panaji
Even as Goa takes pride in being among the best in the country in the health sector, one of the highest allocations in this year’s State Budget was for health. But sadly, while some announcements are new, many are repeat shows of previous Budgets.
Most of the recurring promises in the health sector are in the form of infrastructural ones including the setting up of a Rural Health Center at Mandur. The plan to set up a 20 bedded hospital, labour room, minor OT and 35 room hostel for interns and residents has been repeating in the Budget since 2015-16, when Laxmikant Parsekar was Chief Minister. This year too, the Mandur RHC finds mention in Parrikar’s Budget as well.
Other infrastructural additions that have made recurring appearances in the budget include PHC’s in Canacona, Cansaulim and additions to the Cottage Hospital, Chicalim.
This year the health sector received a total allocation of ` 934 crore. Of this, ` 343 crore would be given to GMC including ` 50 crore for setting up of the super specialty block. ` 45 crore was allocated for Goa Dental College, ` 32 crore for Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and ` 513 crore for Directorate of Health Services (DHS).
The AYUSH ministry too gets a mention in every year’s budget, that of being upgraded every year, but is rarely ever done. In the 2015-16 budget, Parsekar said, “In order to expand Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homeopathy (AYUSH) services, a separate unit dedicated AYUSH headed by
