NT NETWORK
MARGAO
Stating that the work of the new South Goa district hospital building will be personally monitored till it is completed, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, on Saturday, assured to inaugurate the hospital by April 2018 with all the required healthcare facilities.
This assurance came after he visited, perhaps for the first time as the Health Minister in the BJP-led government, and after obtaining details from consultants and other concerned officials.
“By April 2018, this hospital will be thrown open for the public. We will ensure that all the medical equipment are brought here and maximum services are provided to the patients. It will not be a post box. Patients would not be sent to the GMC. We assure that whatever required would be done,” the minister said adding that he and Fatorda MLA and TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai will personally monitor the work of the hospital.
Meetings will be held to review the work carried out during each month, he said.
The minister also paid visit to Hospicio Hospital and TB Hospital, and checked morgue along with the director of health services, medical superintendent of Hospicio and other doctors, and expressed his disappointment over the functioning of these hospitals.
Interestingly, Rane had laid the foundation stone of the building years ago, when he was the health minister in the Congress-led government.
He is the third health minister to give assurance of starting this new hospital.
“We want to focus on this district hospital, and this is one of my priorities. We will be having a monthly review meeting to know the floor chart given by the contractor and to know our responsibilities too. We (Vijai Sardesai and Rane) will together work to see that this hospital starts by next 12 months. We will not dig in the past vis-a-vis its delay, but would move ahead with positivity,”he said.
He asked the director of health services Dr S Dalvi to be serious on the issue.
The Minister also asked the medical superintendent of Hospicio Hospital Dr Ira Almeida to submit the list of required doctors and nurses and other staff (on regular and contract basis) to run the new hospital.
The Minister promised jobs to the land losers. When the media persons pointed out that the laying of an underground pipeline that runs through the basement of the building proved to be a failure, and to rectify it the government has to spend more, Rane said that responsibilities need to fixed in the case and consultants should be held responsible.
He, however, said that the health department would do the necessary changes in the basement, in consultation with the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
He further said that the Chief Minister already held a review meeting with GSIDC officials on the issue.
To an another query on the absence of a full-fledged oncology department at the GMC, the Health Minister said the health department would utilise Rs 150 crore, sanctioned by the central government for having super specialty units, after the disposal of a case, final hearing of which is on June 5.
“We will tie up with the private oncologists to meet the need. Give me just 30 days, and you will see the changes,”he concluded.