the goan I network
MARGAO
The long-delayed South Goa district hospital is finally expected to be ready in all respects by October, but doubts are cast over the actual commissioning of the hospital as the process of recruitment of new consultants, doctors, nurses and para-medical staff is yet to take place.
While the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) has promised to hand over the hospital building by September, Hospicio authorities have prepared a detailed plan to shift the Hospicio functioning to the new building by October.
Posts of a dozen consultants, doctors and assistant doctors, besides 127 nurses and 77 multi-tasking staff are yet to be filled up till date. Hospicio and the Directorate of Health Services headed by Director Dr Jose D’Sa have prepared a detailed recruitment plan and the proposal is presently before the High Powered Committee constituted by the government.
Apart from the hospital building, recruitment of the additional doctors, nurses and staff is expected to decide the date of hospital commissioning for the simple reason that while present strength of doctors and staff have been found inadequate in meeting the requirements of the 250-bedded hospital, the manpower requirements will certain see a two-fold rise to cater to the 500-bedded district hospital.
This became apparent when the Digambar Kamat-headed Public Undertaking Committee of the Goa Legislative Assembly constituted by the House following strictures by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) over the long delay in commissioning of the hospital inspected the building along with committee members, MLAs Wilfred D’Sa and Clafacio Dias, Health Director Dr Jose D’Sa, GSIDC General Manager Jude Carvalho and Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Ira Almeida.
After taking a review with the Health Director Dr Jose and GSIDC General Manager Jude and Hospicio MS Dr Ira Almeida, Kamat told the media in the presence of MLAs Wilfred and Clafacio that the GSIDC has promised to hand over the hospital building to the Health Services by September.
“The Public Undertaking Committee of the Assembly was assured last time that the hospital building will be complete by July. Today, GSIDC has set a new deadline to hand over the building to the Health Services by September-end since there was a delay in the works relating to gas pipeline, STP and the arrival of the imported OTs from the USA,” Kamat said.
He said the GSIDC has now set September end as the tentative date to hand over the hospital building to the Health Services by September. “The committee has been assured by Health Director Dr Jose D’Sa and Dr Ira Almeida that it will take Hospicio a month’s time to shift operations to the new building,”
he added.
To a question, Kamat said while the Health Services has tendered many a sophisticated equipment including a MRI, blood storage refrigerators, the process of procuring other equipment stands complete and the items will come no sooner the operations are shifted to the new building.
When asked whether he favours handing the management of the new district hospital to the GMC, Kamat shot back saying such a need will not arise if the district hospital head is entrusted with more powers, including decision making, to procure items in times of emergencies.
On the question of recruitment, he said the PUC will also follow up with the High Powered Committee on expediting the process to
ensure that staff shortage should not hamper the hospital functioning.
