MARGAO
The government has shelved the proposal to set up the Ayush hospital at the sprawling leprosy hospital at Curtorim/Macazana in Salcete,
with the government zeroing on the crumbling TB hospital site atop the Monte Hill, Margao.
The government had earlier decided to set up the Ayush hospital at the Leprosy hospital, but if Union Ayush Minister Shripad Naik is to be believed, the Goa government has now shelved the proposal and shifted the venue to the existing TB Hospital site atop Monte Hill.
“Under the Ayush district hospital scheme, the Centre sanctions money to the State government to execute the hospital projects. “As far as the North Goa district hospital project is concerned, the Goa government has zeroed in at Sankhalim, while in South Goa, it will be the TB sanatorium atop the Monte Hill,” Shripad said.
It could not be gathered whether the government will bring down the heritage TB hospital to make way for the Ayush hospital or set up the new hospital in the vacant land in the hospital premises.
The TB hospital is located atop the Monte Hill in the picturesque heritage area. While the main building is housing the TB patients and the administrative block, buildings which were built decades ago have been crumbling for want of maintenance of the hospital building.
A portion of the TB hospital complex is being presently used to house the Hospicio mortuary. Wards of the TB hospital have been also used to house the rehabilitation centre.
