Herald: You were Minister of Health, Agriculture & Craftsmen Training between 2007 and 2012. After that, you have again been given the Health ministry. How do you assess the scenario?
Vishwajit: A lot needs to be done. What is important is that we need to follow up things. Issues related to staffers, materials, payment to suppliers have not been followed up in the right earnest. And as these kept accumulating over the years, the machinery collapses. The CM has backed me and I enjoy his support following which I am confident of putting the health services back on track. Health has been high on the BJP’s agenda and hence the government will provide all assistance to rectify the system. I am communicating with the doctors on a regular basis. I have asked them to send me mails directly so that I can understand the department’s functioning and problems directly. There’s a lot of backlog job. We are going steady. We are redesignating personnel as per their seniority. The pathology department is what we are looking into seriously. On May 28, we have a detailed discussion with Abbott to find out the possibilities of having more tests including cancer related cases. I also plan to recruit more oncologist surgeons and pediatric specialists. We need to have more surgeons so that the patients’ waiting period is reduced. I feel the cardiac department should be on a 24×7 basis because emergencies keep coming. The load on the existing doctors is too much. Regarding 108, the CM has cleared the financial approval for the pattern of the assistance. So, we will be having motorcycle ambulances, new ambulances, trained staffers and every year 15 of our students from Goa will be going to Hyderabad to do post-graduate courses so that we can create an adequate bench strength. We are seriously monitoring the Hospicio as well. We shall soon start new courses for cardiac and new neonatal care nurses. So that after they do B.Sc nursing they can specialize in this field. We are working towards a scenario wherein we shall have nurses not only for Goa but prepare them for off-shore services to countries like the UK, Dubai and West Asian regions. Our aim is to create a pool of talent/resource in this area.
Herald: Let’s be specific only to GMC? We are talking about the cleanliness and eco-clean?
Vishwajit: I am going to finalise the tender process soon. We have outsourced the laundry business to ensure that we have sparkling linen and comfortable conditions for the patients. Eco-Clean agencies and Vijay Agencies and all other agencies are kept under check and they should not think that since GMC is a government institution, they can get away with shoddy job and get paid as well. Laxity will not be tolerated. We are also looking into the lapses of each department’s cleanliness.
Herald: What about the medicine ward?
Vishwajit: Soon, I will have a meeting with the GSIDC officials and we are installing ACs at the OPDs. The waiting place for the patients and their relatives should be comfortable. We are planning to transfer the UDC and LDCs from GMC as it is reported that they have transformed the area into their fiefdom and there have been reports of these guys seeking money from patients to distribute tokens at the OPDs. This will not be tolerated. We are planning to give a fresh coat of anti-bacterial paint to the wards. I have also ensured that a senior personnel goes on rounds.
Herald: You have seen dogs roaming freely… What’s your take on this?
Vishwajeet: The entire security staff has to go as they have failed to deliver. I have brought this to the CM’s notice. I will be pursuing the matter till we get a CAPABLE security agency.
Herald: Do you think there is need to hike the budget of GMC to improve all that you are saying?
Vishwajit: Budget is there. What I’m doing currently is to follow up the pending proposals which have not been followed up so far. If this proposals had been followed up for the last 5 years, we would have been on a different level all together.
Herald: What about the nephrology department?
Vishwajit: The nephrologist has gone on long leave. Now, we need to see how to get a new nephrologist in his place or create a new post. It is of utmost importance to be strict. People are going on leave thereby leaving the department in a lurch. Either they should resign and go and not block these posts.
Herald: But was it not an issue, which the Dean should have solved and also got a replacement?
A: These are functional issues which have been haunting us.
Herald: Don’t you think GMC requires autonomy to function on its own?
Vishwajit: I will not vouch for GMC’s autonomy. It has to be under the public health department directly so that we can monitor what is happening. Complete autonomy to GMC can either be good or bad and we don’t want to have a trial and error situation. During my tenure, I will not pitch for GMC’s autonomy.
Herald: There are too many corruption cases against the head of the departments? Are you aware?
Vishwajit: No, if you bring it to my knowledge, I will investigate them.
Herald: There are so many cases of doctors reportedly asking patients to cough up cash. What about Dr Natekar’s case… even after 10 years nothing much has happened?
Vishwajit: Dr Natekar’s case is being looked into. You will get to see the outcome by the end of this month. Even I need to study the cases properly and take them up based on the seriousness of the cases.
