Fatorda: Goa Forward Party on Sunday wrote a letter to State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane asking him to come out with the ‘white paper’ on his plans for new South Goa District Hospital within 24 hours, clarifying whether he wants to private the hospital.
GFP President Vijai Sardesai has also asked Rane why two floors of the facility is not used to treat the COVID-19 positive patients.
Sardesai said that the number of Covid positive cases is spiking over the last few days in South Goa and the present situation for the proper medical care of patients is approaching a disaster of unprecedented proportions, because no Covid-specific beds are available in either the ESI Hospital or private hospitals in Margao and around.
“The fact that all political VIPs and even the Director of Health Services have sought treatment in private hospitals is a sorry comment on the capacity and quality of the Government’s degree of preparedness,” he said in the letter to the Health Minister.
“In these circumstances, it is totally criminal to keep two entire floors of the South Goa District Hospital out of the purview of Covid care infrastructure, especially when the common Goemkar desperately needs such facilities to survive this pandemic. In any case, this hospital was meant to be a full-fledged 800-bedded district hospital, and was planned keeping in mind the future requirements of entire South Goa, which it was meant to cater to,” he said.
The GFP has said that any compromise in either the capacity or quality of the health services to be provided will not be tolerated by the people of South Goa.
Sardesai has demanded that health minister should, within 24 hours, give white paper on his plans about new South District Hospital.
“There was earlier talk about reserving space for a Nursing Hospital, which the people had objected to. I had also voiced my opposition to reducing even a single bed out of the planned 800 beds. In view of the fact that I represent the Fatorda constituency, and that my constituents have literally sacrificed their land for a song, it is my duty to ensure that their sacrifice for the cause of providing the best possible health care to the citizens of South Goa does not go waste. They had been promised permanent jobs in the hospital, which should be ensured once the pandemic is over. But right now, when the need for space and facilities is extremely critical, I insist that the 2 floors, which can accommodate at least 250 beds for care of Covid patients, should be immediately made available to the necessary agencies to equip it for Covid care. In a time when our neighbouring state of Maharashtra makes available the National Sports Club of India’s prestigious Jumbo Dome at Worli for a 1000-bed Covid facility, it is shameful that the Government of Goa is allowing its citizens to die because it cannot make its own hospital available for their care. When PM Cares Fund is going to finance two 500 bedded Covid hospitals in Bihar, which is slated to go for polls later this year, why can’t you and your Govt not get funds to have the full fledged 800 bed hospital for the whole district of South Goa ready ? Don’t you all have any say with the Central Govt ?”
“I am once again reiterating that I object to any space or facilities of the South Goa District Hospital being handed over to any private party for any purpose. I demand that you, personally and immediately, issue a categorical statement in this regard about whether any private hospital or any other private entity will be associated with the South Goa District Hospital in any way. I also demand that a ‘white paper’ on the plans for the South Goa District Hospital should be made available to the public within 24 hours.”
