Healthcare services to be improved: Vishwajit

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-08-28
PANAJI — The Health Minister, Mr Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday informed the state legislative assembly that healthcare services would be improved in the state and that newer but special facilities, hitherto not available, would be made available in the near future.
Replying to issues raised by the members of the House during discussion on demands for Goa Medical College, health services, dental college, food and drugs administration and other departments held by him, Mr Rane said that just creating infrastructural facilities alone was not enough and dearth of trained personnel, like doctors and paramedical staff came in the way of the government in providing better healthcare to the people. The Health Minister further said that sagging image of the Goa Medical College has been changed and taken to a greater height by the changes effected by the government over the past one year or so. He also said that many facilities have been added to the GMC and that more would be added in future to make it a centre of excellence.
As regards to non-availability of ventilators, etc, he said that just providing these equipment was not enough as they have to be manned by specialists, who are difficult to be found in the state and that having failed to recruit locals the government has advertised in national dailies to fill the vacant posts.
With regards to attitudinal problems of the GMC staff, he said that nursing staff was overburdened and have to continuously work which affected them psychologically and as such some times they behave differently than they should normally behave. He said that steps have been taken to correct the behaviour.
He also said the government was considering proposal to provide certain specialities under public-private partnership and that all the government-run hospitals would be provided with enough staff. He also said the newly constructed North Goa district hospital at Mapusa would be inaugurated only after provision was made to equip it with all the required staff and equipment to run it effectively.
The Health Minister informed that other hospitals in the state would be upgraded and that the work on construction of South Goa district hospital at Margao would start soon. These steps would help reduce the increased burden on the GMC and help the premier healthcare institution to provide better services.
In an attempt to make up for the non-availability of specialists in the medical field in the state, Mr Rane said that attempts would be made to bring the Goans doctors practising elsewhere to the state and fill the existing vacancies and provide better healthcare to the people of the state.
He informed the House that the Union health ministry has in-principle agreed to set up a regional cancer centre in the GMC complex and that two mobile vans equipped with instruments to detect cases of breast cancer among women, which are on the rise in the state.
He also said that starting of urology department in the GMC has helped the state save Rs 2 crore, adding that state of art blood testing machines set up in the GMC would go a long way in diagnosis of diseases.
As regards to issue of cleanliness in government-run hospitals, he said that steps have been taken to maintain thorough cleanliness in the hospitals and that housekeeping work has been outsourced to private parties. He also informed the House that he has directed the health authorities to investigate the cases relating to misuse of medi-claim facilities by the rich and affluent.
He also said that all facilities would be provided at the Goa Dental College and that the facilities under National Rural Health Mission would also be made available to the public through directorate of health services.
The Education Minister, Mr Atanasio Monserrate while speaking on the demands for Pharmacy College informed the House about steps taken by the government to recruit staff to man the vacant posts there and also about the new courses to be started at the post graduate level.
Earlier, the bell was rung twice to call the members in the House to ensure that there was quorum. On Both the occasions the leader of the opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar, brought to the notice of the Speaker that there was no quorum in the assembly. Subsequently the members, particularly from the treasury benches, walked in the House to make up for the quorum.
Later, the House passed the demands by voice-vote when the Speaker, Mr Pratapsing Rane, put them to the vote. The cut motions moved by the opposition benches were defeated.