The decision of the Health Minister to make Goans and non-Goans queue up in different lines to get treatment at the Goa Medical college, needs to be examined across several parameters, to ascertain if the spirit of the decision is matched by practical realities, and sensitivities.
Most importantly, does it pass the test of equality and fair play? When Goans line up for treatment in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bengal or any other part of the country, is there an instance when, for example, Maharashtrians and non-Maharashtrians are segregated with non-Maharshatraians, including Goans who do not reside there, having to pay?
And if, as the Health Minister says, the amount charged will be minimal, there are two questions that arise:
a) If no other state has the same policy, then why is Goa’s case unique?
b) If the amount charged is minimal, how does it help the health services of Goa?
The ostensible purpose behind this appears to be to control the flow of outstation patients who come to Goa only to avail of good treatment by GMC and government hospitals, to the detriment of Goans. But is charging non-Goans, if minimal the only way achieve this, especially in the wake of the fact there is nothing on record to suggest that any other state does this?
Moreover, Goans visiting the OPD of Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) will have to submit identity proof establishing themselves as residents of Goa, failing which they will have to queue up with non-Goan patients. Goans will be given preference at the OPD. This again is a slightly tricky issue since there may still be many Goans, who may have their addresses elsewhere but live in Goa. Incidentally, there are a large number of Portuguese passport holders who have aadhar cards as proof of identity and address. How does the government propose to deal with them? They are Goans, but technically they are foreign nationals who live here with OCI cards. Where do you place them?
And most importantly, will this move please all Goans? What if Goans living abroad, happen to be in Goa and need check-ups and treatment, simply because it is cheaper to do tests here? Can we assume that they will all be able to afford private health care? But this isn’t about affordability but about choice.
This system, incidentally does not apply only to GMC. State-run hospitals like Goa Medical College, South Goa District Hospital (Hospicio), North Goa District Hospital (Azilo) and all the Primary, Community and Urban Health centres will charge “non-Goans”.
A ten-member committee has been constituted to decide the rates to be charged at GMC to non Goan patients albeit that in cases of emergency, the patient will be treated whether he is Goan or not.
The intentions may be honourable but does this decision pass the true test of our federal structure. Can one state in the country, deny fellow Indians the same level playing field when it comes to treatment.
We reiterate that the move is not fit to be dismissed outright, but calibrated to ensure that the ends which are sought to be achieved, are done so fairly, keeping in mind that our Goan brothers and sisters living in other parts of the country do get government care for free in the rest of the country.
