MARGAO: The renovated state-of-the-art Employees State Insurance (ESI) Hospital at Margao still awaits the clearance from the Medical Council of India (MCI) to begin full-fledged operations.
The Employees State Insurance deduction of thousands of people is going in vain due to the delay in getting the facility at Margao up and running.
The Employees State Insurance Hospital authorities have taken everyone by surprise as they have revealed that the Medical Council of India (MCI) has not given them clearance to get the hospital operation theatres and other facilities functioning. The result of which four operation theatres are lying idle.
The 100-bedded hospital has been unused due to lack of medical equipment. After so many years, only one ward has been operational. It is also learnt that the Employees State Insurance Hospital still awaits permissions to occupy the new wing.
A doctor at the ESI Hospital, Margao, Dr Vishwajit Faldessai said, “We are yet to get permissions of the Medical Council of India to start the operation theatres. In addition, we have not received the permissions to occupy the new building and hence we have to run the show in the small area of 10 beds”.
Dr Vishwajit clarified that the hospital equipment may come soon and then they would begin operations. He also informed that they will commence the staff recruitment soon.
Situated at Kharebandh in Margao, the Employees State Insurance Hospital was renovated with state of the art facilities for the betterment of the insured employees registered under it. From a small hospital it was converted into a 100-bedded one at a huge additional cost of nearly Rs 84 crore in 2014. Over 38,000 people and their families are insured under the ESIC scheme but since four years there is no facility for the deduction.
In May 2015, a former labour minister had promised to provide equipment within a month and now it has been 7 years ever since the hospital was renovated and commissioned. Three years have passed since its inauguration.
