Raising serious con cerns over the Goa govern ment’s decision to commission Tuem Hospital despite key fa cilities remaining incomplete, the Tuem Hospital Action Com mittee (THAC) has urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to defer the inauguration until the hospital is fully equipped and adequately staffed. The State government on Tuesday announced that the hospital will be commis sioned on February 2 under the name Government Hospi tal and Research Centre, Tuem (GMC Link). In a memorandum submit ted to the Chief Minister and the Health Minister, THAC con venor Jose Lobo welcomed the decision to link the hospital to Goa Medical College (GMC), but strongly demanded that full administrative and academic control of the facility be vest ed with the Dean of GMC. The committee warned that any deviation could violate manda tory provisions of the National Medical Commission, as Tuem Hospital was envisaged as a Ru ral Area Health Training Centre under GMC. THAC pointed out that although the hospital building and allied works were completed nearly six months ago, crucial infrastructure such as operation theatres, Cen tral Sterile Services Department (CSSD), and medical gassupply systems are still not functional. The committee noted that tenders for these essential facilities were floated by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corpora tion only in late December 2025 and early January 2026, with a stipulated completion period of four months. Recalling that the hospital was first in augurated on October 9, 2021, when only the dialysis unit was commissioned, THAC expressed concern over plans for a second inauguration on January 30, 2026, despite the hospital not being fully operational. The committee stressed that inaugurat ing an incomplete facility would defeat the very purpose of public healthcare delivery. At the same time, THAC cautioned that prolonged delay in operationalising the hospital could also prove counterproduc tive, as equipment and supplies already installed may deteriorate due to disuse, potentially resulting in financial losses and the need for re-tendering. The committee appealed to the govern ment to strike a balance by ensuring that the hospital is commissioned only when it is functionally complete, with adequate staffing and infrastructure in place, rather than as a symbolic inauguration. Meanwhile, the state government on Tuesday announced that the hospital will be commissioned on February 2 under the name Government Hospital and Research Centre, Tuem (GMC Link). According to official sources, 13 out patient departments, including Medicine, Surgery, Orthopaedics, Gynaecology, Den tistry, Ophthalmology, Paediatrics, AYUSH, Physiotherapy, Psychiatry, ENT, Radiology and Dermatology, will begin functioning from that date. The OPDs will be operated by doctors from Goa Medical College and the Directo rate of Health Services. Operation theatres are expected to become functional within four months, with preparatory work already underway, sources said, adding that the de cision followed a review meeting chaired by the Chief Minister earlier this week. Pernem MLA Jit Arolkar reiterated that Tuem Hospital will be linked to GMC at Bambolim and said the facility should be started without further delay. He assured that the hospital would be commissioned in phases, with maximum staff drawn from Pernem taluka, and stated that recruitment and procurement processes are already in progress. During discussions at the MLA’s office, THAC maintained that its primary concern is to ensure timely and meaningful com mencement of healthcare services, without compromising on infrastructure standards, patient safety or statutory requirements.
Don’t cut the ribbon yet! Locals object to a ‘half-baked’ Tuem Hospital launch
