MAPUSA
Facing opposition flak over lack of facilities at the South Goa District Hospital, Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane assured the Goa Legislative Assembly to set up a committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister to work out a model for the district hospital in the next three to five months.
Rane on Wednesday also said that all was not bad and referrals (to GMC) from both the district hospitals have come down drastically.
He said that the South Goa District Hospital was started during the Covid pandemic and acknowledged that some facilities were not available in the hospital.
“Due to certain reasons, we could not complete the hospital in all respects. We still need to provide some more facilities. We need additional doctors and staff. There is a limitation of resources but our government is very much focused on providing all facilities in the hospital,” Rane said.
The Health Minister was responding to a joint query raised by Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai over lack of facilities in the South Goa District Hospital.
Rane informed the House that he has introduced a practice of conducting a monthly review of both the district hospitals and the good news was that the referrals have come down.
“I am in talks with the Chief Minister. A committee headed by the CM will be set up and in the next three to five months we will find a model for the working of the district hospital,” he said.
Earlier, the opposition cornered the health minister for failing to provide adequate facilities in the district hospital putting the common man in great hardship.
Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira said since the district hospital had no proper facilities people were forced to shift their patients to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC).
“There is no CT scan or MRI facility available in the hospital. The service of an interventional medical practitioner was also not available. It’s sad if we cannot strengthen the South Goa District Hospital,” Ferreira said.
Taking on the Health Minister, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said the South Goa District Hospital was in “coma” and could perish any time.
He said 3,612 patients were referred to the GMC in the last one year while 133 posts in the hospital were vacant.
He further disclosed that there was no orthopaedic consultant, neurologist or even a cardiologist in the hospital.
“Consulting doctors are available only for one hour. When will the South Goa District Hospital be a full-fledged hospital and patients will not be referred to the GMC?” Sardesai asked.
Leader of Opposition, Yuri Alemao, Velim MLA, Cruz Silva, St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar also participated in the debate during the Question Hour.
