SHOAIB SHAIKH | NT
PANAJI
With the state government expressing its intentions to outsource operation theatres (OTs) in the primary health centres (PHCs), private hospitals have expressed their willingness to utilise the government infrastructure in order to provide healthcare to people.
On Monday, on the sidelines of a function to distribute the Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY) cards to the beneficiaries, Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Francis D’Souza had said to the media that the government is considering handing over the operation theatres at the newly constructed PHCs in the state to private hospitals for conducting surgery procedures.
Sources informed this daily that the proposal to hand over the OTs to the private hospitals was mooted about three months back. “The proposal was made to the Health Minister and the outline of the modalities was also discussed. The proposal also consisted of the rates that could be paid to the doctors who perform the surgical procedures at the PHCs,” the source said.
While the terms and conditions and the modalities of the proposed public-private partnership (PPP) model have not been decided upon, D’Souza said that the state has got well-equipped and very good infrastructure at the PHCs in Valpoi, Sanquelim and Bicholim amongst others.
“Health department is facing acute shortage of surgeons, anaesthetists and radiologists and despite having good facilities, the OTs are not operational. Therefore, we are thinking of giving them to the private hospitals to perform operations. This is solely in the interest of public health,” he said.
Reacting to the news, Dr Shekhar Salkar said that the move would benefit people from rural areas who would otherwise have to travel either to the District hospital or the Goa Medical College at Bambolim. He said, “If the government takes the private hospitals on board, then the public will benefit. Government could start with operations that do not involve major complications such as appendectomy (surgery to remove the appendix), fissure, piles and illnesses, which are not life-threatening.”
Responding to the financial modalities that need to be worked out, Salkar said that with the launch of the DDSSY, the government would not have to spend additional amount. “The process will be easier now as the government has launched the insurance scheme and can pay the private doctors and hospitals as per the scheme,” he said.
He further said that the Manipal Hospitals would be willing to accept any such proposal to utilise the government infrastructure in providing healthcare facilities to the people.