Team Herald
MARGAO: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday held demonstrations in front of the Hospicio Hospital demanding resumption of the dialysis unit at the hospital by restoring water and electricity connection to the unit. The Medical Superintendent said that she would not allow the unit to operate in the building that is unsafe for the patients.
“We strongly condemn the harassment being meted out to dialysis patients, a large majority of whom come from economically weaker sections. Power supply was arbitrarily disconnected to the dialysis unit at Hospicio Hospital Margao, thus sabotaging the operation of the dialysis unit operated by Dr R Venkatesh dispensing cheap and affordable life-saving treatment to poor and needy patients. This unit has saved the government crores of rupees right from the year 2003,” an AAP spokesman said.
The AAP has charged that “this disruption and deliberate harassment is being orchestrated by vested interests, including people in high positions in the government, with the sole motive of compelling the helpless patients to go to private corporate hospitals that charge exorbitant fees to the Directorate of Health Services (DHS).
“The Directorate of Health Services pays Dr Venkatesh Rs 1118 per patient per sitting all inclusive, which includes treatment charges of Rs 850 and consumables and taxes of Rs 268. On the other hand, as per our information, private corporate hospitals charge DHS Rs 1750 for the very same treatment. In addition, the patient has to bear the cost of consumables such as dialyzers, tube and injections which is around Rs 1500,” the AAP spokesman said.
The representatives of AAP met the Medical Superintendent and demanded restoration of power and water to which Ira Almeida, “I am awaiting the report of the three authorities probing the fire incident and only after that I can take any course of action.”
She also told that the PRO of Hospicio has been providing patients with the letters of the Health services referring them to empaneled hospitals to avoid missing dialysis.
