TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: A multi-specialty 100-bedded hospital under Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) will soon come up at Porvorim to cater to patients from across the State, especially from the North Goa district, the Goa Assembly was told Wednesday.
This hospital will be in addition to the ESI Hospital in Margao, which is currently undergoing major upgradation.
State Labour and Employment Minister Avertano Furtado told the State Legislative Assembly during Question Hour that the upcoming hospital will indeed reduce the burden on the existing hospital in Margao.
“The government will consider similar hospital (like Margao) in the North. Under Central government provision, a multi-specialty hospital will be constructed in Porvorim,” he said, refusing to give any timeframe for the completion of the proposed project.
At present, there are five dispensaries in North Goa district and two including the one at Porvorim, are in the pipeline. The minister said that total 1.60 lakh beneficiaries are covered under ESI in the State, who are basically industrial workers. Of the total beneficiaries, one lakh are from North Goa district.
Meanwhile, Furtado replying to a question by Congress MLA Digambar Kamat said that the existing ESI hospital in Margao is partially upgraded.
“The renovation of phase II is complete. It is functioning with facilities such as Out Patient Department (OPD) and emergency services,” Furtado said.
While the first phase will comprise an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), four operation theatres, laundry, laboratory, physiotherapy and other emergency services and would be completed by June 2013.
“It is expected to be commissioned in six months after the structural and electrical work is complete,” he said.
Kamat intervened with a demand that the hospital should extend its facilities to non-ESI beneficiaries as well because the existing facilities are inadequate to meet the requirements of increasing number of patients. Furtado said that the recruitment of 28 doctors and 94 nurses would be undertaken by the concerned authorities.
In a written reply, the minister further said, “As regards, the posts where Recruitment Rules have not been notified, draft Recruitment Rules have been proposed, which are under consideration of the government.”
The Congress MLA also raised concerns that Hospicio is overcrowded with patients even as the government is increasing the capacity of existing ESI Hospital to 100 beds.
To another question asked by MLA Vijai Sardesai, Furtado said that the present staff for the ESI hospital comprises 115 including doctors, specialists and administrative staff, which is sufficient to cope with the second phase.
