MARGAO: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant who visited Hospicio on Sunday assured that the new district hospital would be inaugurated latest by mid-November this year.

He also assured to find a solution to the problem faced by patients undergoing dialysis in the dilapidated building of the hospital.

He said that he had visited the hospital as leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat had raised the matter of Hospicio in the Assembly.

“In fact, every MLA from Salcete and South raised the Hospicio issue as it is the major district hospital and that is why I had to see for myself what the situation is,” he said.

Maintaining that all facilities are available at Hospicio, he admitted that space is a constraint; to tide over the problem, he said that the new district hospital would be commissioned by November.

Digambar Kamat who is the chairman of the public undertaking committee also agreed with this date as GSIDC has agreed to hand over the premises to the Health Services by end of September.

“We shall need about one month to shift to the new premises as the plan is prepared and only is awaiting execution,” the chief minister said disclosing that he has cleared the file regarding letter of credit to be given to the American company that will be supplying the operation theatre equipment.

He said that the 250-bedded hospital has around 85 per cent occupancy and the shifting to new premises would not be done in a phased manner but at one go. “Some diagnostic departments like CT scan, for example, may be shifted later on,” he said and regretted the delay in commissioning the new premises.

He expressed concern that patients continue to do their dialysis in a building that is declared unsafe and is literally crumbling. However, as the matter is now before the Supreme Court, he said, he would discuss it with the Advocate General and find a solution.

“It is quite risky that patients have to undergo dialysis in an unsafe building and what will happen if it collapses tomorrow?” he asked while asking the Director of Health Services Dr Jose de Sa to discuss the matter with him.

Replying to a question he said the new district hospital will have dialysis facility while admitting that neurology services will not be provided there.

Meanwhile, Digambar Kamat said that only the sewage treatment plant has to be set up at the new hospital premises where the morgue is ready for commissioning while the morgue at existing Hospicio is not functioning and they are using the morgue at the T B Hospital at the Monte.