TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: When Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar visited Hospicio on June 25 last year, he announced that the government was committed to complete work on the new district hospital under construction on a priority basis.
Reason: He was “pained” to come across patients occupying Hospicio floors for want of adequate beds to accommodate the growing number of patients in the hospital. And he was all praise for the Hospicio doctors and staff for accommodating 300 patients in a 220-bedded hospital.
The situation vis-a-vis beds has not changed for the better since then. It’s not uncommon to find patients occupying the floors want of beds, but, sadly, work on the new district hospital has come to a halt, with the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) awaiting the go-ahead signal from the government to take up the internal works.
A GSIDC official said the government is yet to take a call whether to house a paramedical institute or a medical college in the new district hospital building. “Unless we are told what would be set up in the new building, we cannot take up the internal works. The contractor has completed the flooring work and is awaiting further instructions on the internal works,” remarked the GSIDC official.
Incidentally, a city-based NGO had served a legal notice on the Chief Secretary last month to resume work on the district hospital or face legal action.
PARALYSED PROMISES
June 25, 2012: Promises made to upgrade Hospicio to meet its requirements
July 11, 2013: Hospicio is facing acute manpower crunch.
June 25, 2012: Promises made to complete district hospital under construction on priority basis.
July 11 2013: Work on the district hospital goes haywire. Internal works yet to commence. GSIDC says government to decide on the utilisation of the floors for hospital, paramedical centre or hospital.
