MARGAO
As Hospicio services are being shifted to the South Goa district hospital, the fate of the GAPL (Goa Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd) Medi Centre hangs in balance.
While most of the services from Hospicio have been shifted to the new district hospital building, the GAPL Medi Centre, is still housed in the old building, with staff and employees having no knowledge about their future.
Take note, the government-run pharmacy at Hospicio has commenced operations on the ground floor of the South Goa district hospital. The future of GAPL Medi Centre, however, remains unknown.
An employee attached to the GAPL pharmacy told The Goan that the GAPL Medi Centre management had written to the Hospicio Medical Superintendent in May 2020 with a plea for allotment of space for GAPL at the new premises of Hospicio hospital.
Sources said the Medi Centre had requested the Hospicio MS to provide space admeasuring 600 sq ft to provide 24x7 services to patients at the district hospital.
In a communique to the Health Minister around two years ago in 2019, GAPL had drawn the attention of the government, saying it has been delivering uninterrupted 24x7 pharmacy services at Hospicio hospital since 1995. “With the support of the Goa government, we have completed 25 years of uninterrupted 24x7 pharmacy services at Hospicio,” the letter stated.
Sources at the Director of Health Services pointed out that the government hasn’t taken any decision to accommodate GAPL pharmacy at the district hospital, with a senior official saying there’s no space available at the new hospital building to house the GAPL pharmacy. “Our government pharmacy has started operations at the district hospital to cater to the needs of the patients,” the official remarked.
