Despite a cancer hospital 1km away from home, Health Minister wants one 170km away

BAMBOLIM: In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that the proposal to start a Cancer OPD in Goa Medical College (GMC) was cleared by the State Public Health Department without having the statutory tender and multiple bids. 

The decision to go with just one cancer service provider, without considering any other operator, was done in less than four days as the proposal was received on April 16, 2018 and the Cancer OPD was inaugurated on April 20, 2018.

When asked by Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco as to why the government had not done a tie-up with any other hospital instead of KLES, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane answered, “No such requests from any other hospital have been received, since KLE is the closest hospital for Goan patients, KLE is selected to conduct OPD.”

The Minister did not mention that Goa has had a cancer hospital since the 1970s when the Goa Cancer Society run hospital was launched at Dona Paula a kilometer away from where he lives. The hospital was later taken over by Manipal Health Enterprises which runs it as a specialised cancer hospital.

Documents through the unstarred LAQ with regards to the MOU with KLE reveals that GMC Dean Dr Pradeep G Naik sent a letter to Public Health Department with regards a proposal received from Dr M V Jali, KLES Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital & Medical Research Centre via email on 7/4/2018. Even before the MoU was signed, GMC Medical Superintendent Dr Shivanand Bandekar had even identified the space for the cancer OPD. 

The note attached to the LAQ says, “If agreed to an MOU may be signed with the KLES Hospital and Government of Goa” and yet also announces that “Hon’ble Minister for Health… decided to inaugurate OPD counter on Friday, that is 20/4/2018 at 10.30 am”. The decision to inaugurate the relationship with KLE MCH & RC was signed much before MOU was signed or financial sanction accorded to the association by the then existent Cabinet Advisory Committee.

Herald investigations reveal that while Belgaum-based KLE has a basic Linear Accelerator (LINAC) for radiation treatment with 2D, 3D and Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), Goa-based Manipal Hospital has a more advanced and latest LINAC with 2D, three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), IMRT, Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), VMAT with IGRT stereotactic radiotherapy for brain as well as rest of the body. KLES does not have Manipal’s cone beam CT on LINAC that gives 6 degrees of freedom couch for faster online error correction and intrafraction imaging during radiotherapy. Manipal Hospital in Goa actually outdoes KLES yet the Health Minister opted for a long distance option.

What is interesting is the fact that in another LAQ related to the Health Department it was revealed that under Deen Dayal Swasthya Yojana (DDSY) Health Insurance, while GMC received insurance claims settlement to the tune of Rs 31.02 crore for 4112 patients, KLES received Rs 1.41 crore for 168 patients and Manipal Goa received Rs 1.53 crore for 4315 patients. Which translated means that Goa government paid Rs 73,492 per patient at GMC, Rs 83,928 per patient to KLES and Rs 35,399 per patient at Manipal in Goa.