SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar demanded that BJP Government under Dr Pramod Sawant must immediately either take over private hospitals treating COVID patients or announce subsidised charges for patients in these hospitals to mark birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and prove intentions of the saffron party to provide "Seva" to the people of Goa.
Chodankar claimed that the exorbitant rates fixed by the government, which are highest in entire India, are with an intention of making fortunes pushing its single-point agenda of "Business From People’s Sickness".
"In these critical times of COVID pandemic, the BJP government has once again displayed its insensitive nature towards common man and its love for crony capitalists by approving huge charges for COVID treatment in private hospitals," Chodankar alleged.
"The Government is completely responsible for the rise in COVID cases in Goa. The deliberate delay to fully commission the South Goa District Hospital (SGDH) and declaring it as COVID Hospital is the main reason for all hospitals getting full with patients. The corrupt health minister is still not ready to make use of two floors of the SGDH for treating COVID patients when patients are made to sleep on the floor," he charged.
"It is due to failure of the government to create additional facilities in the last six months since the first lockdown that the people are compelled to go to private hospitals. Now, it is the duty of the government to ensure that COVID patients are provided healthcare at affordable rates," he added.
He demanded that the BJP govt must make either of the announcements on the birthday of PM, as he is primarily responsible for the failed nationwide lockdown and complete fiasco in handling the COVID pandemic.
