PANJIM: Shocked that patients at the North Goa District Hospital are denied nutritious food since last one year, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has called for a meeting of officials of the Directorate of Health Services on Monday to review the situation. 

“I visited the North Goa District Hospital and reviewed all the facilities. I was really shocked that dietary food supplied to the patients has been stopped by the Directorate of Health Services a year back. I will review it on Monday,” the minister said after a surprise inspection of the hospital at Mapusa.  

He also encountered some major problems such as shortage of staff, another issue which he has decided to take it up with the authorities during the review meeting. “There is tremendous shortage of staff for smooth functioning of the hospital. It also requires Class D and technical staff. We will work towards progressive Goa and provide the best facilities,” he said advocating the need for upgrading the dietary requirements of the patients and ensuring good nutritious food, which currently lacks at the hospital. 

His surprise visit to the hospital comes two days after the Directorate of Health Services Director Dr Sanjeev Dalvi and Goa Medical College and Hospital Dean Dr Pradeep Naik were issued separate show cause notices for “unreasonable delays” in finalising tenders and for poor hygiene at GMC, respectively. The notices demanding replies from both were issued after an approval from the minister.