MAPUSA
While increasing the budget allocation in the health sector by 18 per cent, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday announced to set up two nursing colleges in the State and an ICU department and medical college in South Goa District Hospital.
The government has earmarked a capital outlay of Rs 172.19 crore to strengthen Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) infrastructure while allotting Rs 10 crore for construction of new blood bank, Rs 157.30 crore for construction of respirator medicine hospital and Rs 30.74 for construction of lecture hall at the GMC.
Besides announcing a slew of new projects, the CM has also decided to give impetus to existing projects at the hospital providing tertiary care to patients in Bambolim.
“We are going to fast track the construction of the cancer centre along with the Tata Hospital,” said Sawant.
The government has proposed to set up Generic Jan Aushadhi Kendra at GMC and also to strengthen the local pharma industry.
In bid that GMC does not run out of medicines and other consumables, an increased provision of Rs 233.49 crore has been made in the budget.
Sawant has said that the health insurance scheme – Deen Dayal Swashtya Seva Yojna (DDSSY) – will be streamlined and Rs 65 crore has been allocated for the scheme.
“An insurance cell for effective implementation of the DDSSY will also be set-up,” he said.
While the Mediclaim limit has been increased up to Rs 5 lakh the income limit to claim Mediclaim facility has been increased to Rs 8 lakh.
The government has also planned to launch “Goa stroke programme” under the National Center for Disease Control to ensure timely treatment to stroke patients within the golden hour.
A centre for autistic children will also be started in the next financial year.
New primary health centres will be built in Cuncolim and Candolim while the community health centre in Curchorem will be made operational by December. An ophthalmic centre will also be made operations at the Sankhali CHC.
Similarly, Ayush Integrated Hospital will be made operational in South Goa in December.
Sawant said that the health department will be allowed to recruit surgeons on contract basis due to shortage of consultants and surgeons.
