MARGAO rrAddresing a gathering after inaugurating the latest Hybrid Cath Lab of Victor Rajagiri Hospital and later the boutique ‘Viva Hotel’ of the Victor Group in Margao on Sunday, Parrikar said the medical industry should spell out the support it needs from the government so as to enable the latter to decide to what extent it could intervene to provide such support. rCongratulating the Victor Group for such a facility, Parrikar said such facilities are needed during emergencies. Responding to the Chairman of Victor Group Victor Albuquerque’s suggestion for government support, Parrikar said, “While we will definitely support, the (medical) industry also needs to put issues and points before us so that we become aware of the support required,” he remarked. “We will not enter medical tourism. The support will come from our side,” he stated. rLater, responding to questions on the sidelines of the function, the Chief Minister said the government will also urge the hospitals to dsipaly the list of medical procedures offered at the respective hospital for the benefit of the patients. The CM said he will direct Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to take steps to issue such directions to the hospitals concerned in this matter. rResponding to a similar question, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai said there was a need for displaying such a list by the hospitals for the benefit of the patients. He said the medical insurance has been streamlined to a large extent which will also take care of this aspect. rEarlier in his address, Albuquerque spoke about alternative medical tourism while urging the government to help increase such ‘clean tourism’. r“Goa has all the ingredients to make itself the hub of alternative medical tourism,” he remarked, while citing the example of Vellore in this regard. He said Goa has the best talent and very good doctors which will help boost medial tourism. He named Ayurveda, Naturopathy and Yoga as alternative forms of medical tourism. “We also propose to start Yoga holidays,” he told the audience, while urging the government to leave the medical tourism to the private sector. rLamenting the fact that he had to close down his Nursing Institute which offered nursing education, Albuquerque said this happened as government started its own nursing college.r “We need to know what to do and what not,” he remarked. TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, Rev Fr Jose Paul of Rajagiri Hospital, Cochin, were also present for the function.
Spell out the support you need: CM calls upon medical industry
Categorically stating that the government will not enter medical tourism but is ready to extend all support to the medical industry provided the latter spells it out to the government, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said this is necessary so that the government is aware of the industry’s needs and requirements.
