the goan I network
MARGAO
Goa Liberation Day is the new deadline set to commission the South Goa district hospital, with the government missing the Independence Day deadline set last year for the inauguration of the long-delayed hospital, work on which had commenced around eight years ago during the Congress regime in 2010.
TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, who had in the past vowed to get the hospital commissioned on Independence Day, said the hospital will be commissioned with all health amenities on Goa Liberation Day this year.
“An hospital is not just a building, but is a place where patients can look forward for basic health amenities. While the district hospital is nearing completion as per the set deadline, the procurement of medical equipments and soft skill launching will take some time,” he said, while saying that the hospital will be commissioned by Goa Liberation day on December 19 this year.
Asked whether Saxttikars in particular and South Goa people in general can look forward to the commissioning of the district hospital by December 19, he replied in the positive, saying the coalition government will expedite work on the hospital by sticking to the new deadline.
“We don’t want the new district hospital to be a referral hospital. We want people from Salcete and South Goa to receive basic medical facilities here. There ought to be no referrals to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim after the commissioning of the district hospital,” Sardesai said.
The Fatorda MLA, however, reiterated his demand for jobs in the district hospital to the sons of the soil.
“Land for the hospital project was acquired for a pittance. Those who have lost their land for the project should be given jobs and employment in lieu of the land lost for the hospital,” he demanded.
Director of Health Services, Dr Sanjeev Dalvi told The Goan that the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) should first hand over the hospital building to the Health services before the government takes the decision to commission the project. “We have to procure furniture, medical equipments, etc. The DHS has prepared documents for the tendering of the these items, but said that unless the building is complete in all respects and handed over to the DHS, it would be difficult to float the tenders,” Dr Dalvi said.
In the meantime, the TCP minister said that though Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has taken a number of steps to tone up the health services, employment of local manpower ought to be given priority.
“The drivers of the 108 ambulances and the cardio ambulances ought to be Goans since they know the place better,” he said.
