MARGAO
Saxtti politicos on Thursday posed a simple question to Health Minister Vishwajit Rane “ why is the government silent in utilising the top two floors of the South Goa district hospital in times of COVID, before sounding a warning that they will not sit quiet and watch the government bringing in a private player or an institution in the building.
That’s not all. The politicos, including Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat, Goa Forward chief, MLA Vijai Sardesai, besides South Goa MP, Francisco Sardinha, have come out strongly against plans, if any, to allot the two floors to private players, demanding that the entire five-storeyed building is utilised and is commissioned as per the intended objective.
In fact, opposition MLAs, including Kamat, Sardesai and Sardinha, besides, Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro and Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco have called for commissioning of the entire 5-storeyed district hospital building.
While the architect of the district hospital, Digambar Kamat made it categorically clear there cannot be privatisation of a district hospital, South Goa MP Sardinha pointed out that the government should do a re-think, if any, decision is taken to bring private players in the district hospital or set up a private college.
Kamat said a district hospital should remain as a district hospital, accessible to the common man, adding that he has not come across any instance wherein part of the government district hospital is given to a private party.
“When the South Goa district hospital was designed and conceived by my government in 2007, it was meant to be an 800-bedded district hospital. We have designed the project in such a way that the hospital caters to the future requirements as well,” Kamat asserted.
While saying he has no idea whether the government has any plans to rope in a private party in the district hospital, Kamat cautioned that any such move will only invite opposition from the people. “Despite of my repeated demand to make South Goa district hospital fully operational, the government is still not taking any steps to make the hospital fully functional. The people want to know the reasons keeping the two floors of the hospital vacant, when the government is actually struggling for space to accommodate Covid patients,” he said.
South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha was categorical in demanding that the entire South district hospital is commissioned at the earliest. “With the government facing space constraints in accommodating the rising number of COVID patients, the government should even think of having the top two floors for COVID treatment,” Sardinha said.
Goa Forward chief and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said the people of Fatorda and Salcete will not tolerate any plan to reserve the top two floors of the district hospital for purpose other than catering to the medical needs of the people. “The district facility has been set up in my Fatorda constituency. Let me make it clear that people of Fatorda in particular and Salcete in general will not accept any private plans in the district hospital building,” Sardesai said.
Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro said it is surprising that when the government could just grab any available facility for COVID, it has no plans to utilise the top two floors of the South Goa district hospital. “It is in the fitness of things that the government utilise all the available space in its possession for COVID,” Faleiro
demanded.
Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco was clear in saying that there cannot be any private player in the South Goa district hospital. “This hospital has been built for the common man of entire South Goa to cater to their health requirements. The government should immediately utilise the entire district hospital building and forget any plans to give to a private player the top two floors.”
With Health director preferring pvt hosp, govt mgnt of Covid exposed: Kamat
MARGAO: Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat has said the government preparedness on handling and management of COVID-19 pandemic and public health care stands exposed with Director of Health Services, Jose D’Sa himself being admitted in a private hospital after testing Covid positive.
“I can now only pray to God for the well-being of all, Kamat said, while reacting to the reports of Director of Health Services Jose D’Sa testing positive and preferring to get admitted in Manipal Hospital instead of Goa Medical College.
The Opposition leader pointed out that he had alerted the government as early as March 2020 to form a task force comprising of experts from Civil Society and Army to handle and manage the Covid pandemic. “Unfortunately, the government did not listen and today the Minister for Defence (State) and North Goa MP Shripad Naik is compelled to get admitted in a private hospital,” he added.
