TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: This near-decade old dialysis centre run by a Trust at Hospicio faces problems for want of timely payments by the health officials, running into lakhs of rupees.
Having carried out 70,000 dialysis and withstood competition from the emerging private players in the last one decade, the centre run by “Lord We Dialysis Rapid Action Trust” is anxiously waiting for the health authorities to clear the huge amount pending over the last three months.
Any further delay, sources said, will result in a monetary crunch, and will lead to a shortage of basic essential items required to run the dialysis centre.
A visit to the centre located on the second floor of Hospicio revealed that around 12 patients were availing of dialysis facility. Amongst them was a patient, who has been availing dialysis at the centre since its inception in 2003, while two patients had come all the way from North Goa.
A woman patient questioned over the government’s delay in clearing payments to the centre when it has been catering to their requirements over the years.
“When health officials are prompt in clearing bills of private hospitals offering dialysis, we fail to understand the delay in clearing payments to this centre. Is it a deliberate attempt by some unscrupulous officials to close this centre to benefit the emerging private players”, she wondered.
An elderly patient pointed out that they have to literally walk on the second floor of the building when the elevator breaks down in times of power failures and hospital staff not attending to their needs.
The patients now plan to take up their grievances with the Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar to ensure that the dialysis centre at Hospicio continues to receive government backing.
Established way back in 2003, the Trust presently provides dialysis facility to around 100 patients at Hospicio and Canacona. Patients undergoing dialysis at the centre do not pay for the dialysis which the government reimburses the amount, of Rs 860, to the Trust.
Plans to expand the facility at Hospicio has hit a block for want of additional space During its decade old existence, the centre was shut for some days for want of support from Hospicio officials, prompting then Governor S C Jamir to personally come down and put the centre in order.
