PANJIM: The four day major power failure that disrupted service at Goa Medical College, the blood bank scam, doctors engaged in private practice and the deanship rotation policy, became a major cause for battle in the Goa Assembly Monday with MLAs asking the government not to play with the health of the people.
During demands for grants on health, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai vociferously alleged that the ‘administration has lost its character,’ pointing to the four day power failure which compromised vital services at GMC. The patients, doctors and (medical) students were in dire straits,” he said, quoting newspaper reports.
Sardesai also alleged there was a scam in the blood bank, in league with a politician. A racket involving private pathologists was exposed, by a local news channel last year, after which Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had conceded that irregularities existed. According to reports, private pathologists would charge more than double the rate for ‘private’ blood tests from GMC referred patients.
The Fatorda MLA also alleged that several doctors were engaging in private practices right under the nose of the government, claiming that the leave pattern of some doctors between November and March, revealed their involvement in private practice.
Citing these instances, Sardesai slammed the government’s attitude as ‘heartless’ and questioned the competency of government-run hospitals. “…all this show that health is not in safe hands. The minimum standard of efficiency is falling apart,” he added.
Bicholim MLA Naresh Sawal who had initially brought up the issue of water problems in the GMC – only to be ridiculed by the Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar. BJP MLA Vishnu Surya Wagh and Congress legislator Pandurang Madkaikar underlined the water woes at GMC, asking Parsekar to solve the problem. Wagh, suggested that the government put in place water harvesting plan to solve water woes at GMC.
