Super specialty cardiac hospital by June 2013: Parsekar

TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: Goa, in most probability, will have its own super-specialty cardiac hospital by June 2013 and super-specialty hospital in the next four years, Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar announced in the State Legislative Assembly Wednesday.

The Health Minister said this after Congress’ Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco pulled up the government for disbursing large amounts of Mediclaim funds, when they could be used for building a super-specialty hospital. ‘Why waste so much money,’ Reginaldo asked.

“The government has spent over Rs 50 crore on Mediclaim over the last three years. We could have built a good super-specialty hospital with this money. From this, Rs 20 crore was paid to only three private hospitals in Goa (which come under the Mediclaim scheme) in three years,” he pointed out.

Satya Sai Baba Hospital in Bangalore is a society. It is doing the best of operations. Not more than 10 in five years. WHO accredited it as one of the best hospitals in Asia for the least amount of deaths, Reginaldo said. 

The State government released a total of Rs 2949.92 lakh under Mediclaim scheme to 1646 cardiac patients from 2010-March 8, 2013. The ruling coalition has sanctioned more than Rs 17 crore in 1340 cases from March 9, 2012 to March 20, 2013 under the scheme covering all ailments. 

Parsekar told the House that a cardiac surgeon has already been appointed and the process of appointing other super specialty doctors like consultants and other surgeons is in process.

“We are offering lucrative packages to specialist/good doctors to join our super specialty hospital. A cardiac patient will be eligible for Mediclaim,” Parsekar said during the Question Hour discussion.