TEAM HERALD
Will the government extend the medical facilities at the upgraded ESI hospital to the general citizens of Margao and neighbouring Navelim once the hospital goes fully operational?
Activist Sidharth Karapurkar has called for extending the ESI hospital facility to the general public too, especially the people of Navelim and Margao and surrounding areas with ailing Hospicio falling short of standards, where even patients share the beds for want of space.
While the then Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes had announced on the day of the hospital inauguration that the general public can indeed avail of the ESI hospital if the capacity utilisation fall short of the set norms, the delay in the commissioning of the hospital may come in the way of many a local citizen availing the facility. For, the hospital is not fully operational till date and may take minimum 4-6 months for its commissioning. That’s not all. ESI Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Vishvajit Faldessai said one may be able to assess the capacity utilisation of the hospital only after a period of time, say a year, before extending the hospital facility to the general public. It is feared that by the time this process is completed, Goa government-run district hospital, presently under construction, may take concrete shape.
Says Karapurkar: “The government should ensure that the ESI hospital facility is extended to the general public from Margao and Navelim. Huge funds have gone into the upgradation of the ESI hospital and the authorities should make optimum use of the medical facilities by extending the facility to the local populace as well”.
Commenting on the matter, Labour Minister, who represents the neighbouring Navelim constituency, said he and his government are very much open to extending the ESI hospital facility to the public if the capacity lies unutilised or underutilised. “Charging a nominal fee on patients other than those covered under the ESI scheme may be given a thought”, Avertano added.
The ESI has effected a change to its rules allowing extension of hospital medical services to the general public if the capacity utilisation is below 60 per cent.
