HEALTH MIN'S TAKE
ON OUTSOURCING >>
* FOOD & NUTRITION
Are the patients in the GMC not entitled for plated food a la the private hospitals
* INTENSIVE CARE UNITs
There are professional agencies ready to provide post-operative ICUs
* RADIOLOGY DEPT
Why should any patient wait for 18-20 days to undergo a MRI test at the GMC
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"Andhra Pradesh, Bangalore and Mumbai have gone for outsourcing. Outsourcing is not only required in public interest, but is the need of the hour”-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARGAO: Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, dubbed as the “outsourcing Minister” in many government quarters for outsourcing jobs in the health services, has many plans up his sleeves on the outsourcing front.
Latest on the outsourcing agenda of the Health Minister is nutrition, where the Minister has plans to offer “plated food” to patients a la private hospitals, and not to mention outsourcing of post-operative ICUs, radiology department and MRIs in the near future.
“My conscience is very clear. My objective is clear. And, I don’t care what rules are followed. I have told the Health secretary,” the Health Minister on the outsourcing of medical services to professional agencies.
He said the Nutrition tender, wherein patients will be provided with plated food, will be opened on April 10. “Are the patients in the GMC not entitled for plated food a la the private hospitals. Why should our medical students have their meal in the dirty shacks outside. All this is happening because questions are raised on hygiene. I have brought measures to improve hygiene in the GMC,", he said, adding “once outsourced, the private agency will upgrade the kitchen and look after hygiene.”
On outsourcing of ICUs, Vishwajit said he had a meeting with DHS officials on Monday night to explore the possibility of outsourcing ICUs in the hospital. “There are professional agencies ready to provide post-Operative ICUs. The Mapusa district hospital is in need of such a facility and I will take a close call on outsourcing post-operative ICU facility," he said.
Radiology is another department which is on the agenda of the Health Minister. “Why should any patient wait for 18-20 days to undergo a MRI test at the GMC. This is sheer ridiculous. Any citizen of Goa should get this facility in a day’s time. It is a question of his health and certainly a patient cannot be made to wait for 18-20 days,” he said. “Similar was the case with the cardiac centre at the GMC, but we have strengthened the cardiac unit with the recruitment of 21 specialist doctors,” he added.
Justifying his decision to bat for outsourcing, the Health Minister said Goa is not the only place in the country which is going for outsourcing of specialised services. “Andhra Pradesh, Bangalore and Mumbai have gone for outsourcing. And, are KEM hospital and All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Outsourcing is not only required in public interest, but is the need of the hour,” he asserted.
