PUBLIC MEDICAL SYSYEM IN GOA IN DISARRAY
The medical system in Goa today and the state of affairs at the Goa Medical College is shocking, a disgrace and we the Goan people need to hang our heads in shame at the mess we are in. What a come down to the prestigious and world famous Goa Medical College that was built by the Portuguese in 1842 as the *Escola Medico-Cirurgica de Goa* to it’s sad and deplorable present state. On the 60th Anniversary of the Republic Day it was shocking to see the Ranes –both father and son promoting their own crooked scheme of hood-winking the Goan people and the Chief Minister Digamber Kamat a partner in this crime laying a foundation stone for the Rs 120 crore Super Speciality Hospital, being built under the public-Private-Partnership mode in collaboration with the Israeli based Eibit India Healthcare Private Ltd. Goa they claimed will have 15 per cent equity stake in the form of 10,000 Sqm land granted to Elbit India Healthcare on lease for a period of 60 years. Of course it's obvious who is getting the kick-backs from this scheme too specially if it’s coming in the form of the shekel or the lirot. To add insult to injury there was no water in the Goa Medical College while just across the road there was this tamasha going on. Today’s latest in the list of problems at the GMC per the Times of India is the breakdown of the CT Scan machine and teh poor patients being directed to go to the private hospitals! There is already talk about privatising the Radiology Department with the Health Minister having his own agenda for doing so. To quote the Speaker Pratapsingh Rane who said that the Government initiative to construct a Superspeciality Hospital through PPP mode "will set a best example for others in this globalized world." He said “the PPP concept had been in vogue in Goa for many years particularly in Industrial sector and should be extended to education sector also.” So you can see what's the next move in sight. There's already talk of moving all the schools from Panjim to Bambolim so that the real estate sharks can then lay their hands on the prime land in Panjim. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that the superspeciality hospital "could prevent people going to other states to derive health benefits under mediclaim facility, besides benefitting even the foreigners promoting medical tourism. The government was keen to improve health care infrastructure in Goa, he said." Obviously the common man and the GMC is not his concern when he can earn the big bucks in kick-backs under the name of medical tourism and hospitals for the Israelis or medical insurance for the Russians. He already has his eye on privatising and outsourcing many of the Medical Departments at the GMC. What about the common man in Goa - who cares for him? Even the Governor of Goa on his Republic address was all about acquiring more of Goan land for the Mopa Airport. Well that’s another con story in the making. With crooks like these abounding dime a dozen nowadays in Goa promoting all kinds of con schemes you can well imagine what’s the plight of the poor Goan going to be! Attached below is the latest report in today’s Times of India: CTT Scanner at GMC breaks down TNN, 5 February 2010, 03:59am IST Text Size: | Panaji: The usually crowded corridors of the CT Scan centre at Government Medical College and Hospital wore a deserted look on Thursday. The reason: Intermittent breakdown of the sole Computerised Tomography (CT) Scan machine there on Wednesday. However, by Thursday evening the problem was rectified. "There was a cable wire that needed to be replaced. Once that was done, we started the machine", said medical superintendent Dr Rajan Kunkolienkar. At least 40 to 50 patients undergo scanning at the CT scan machine at GMC each day. With the machine out of order, the patients were either being diverted to private hospitals or asked to wait till the machine was repaired, said sources. There is usually a huge rush to GMC for CT scans as the service is free. Hospital sources said the failure was due to lack of maintenance and overworking of the machine. "Any machine needs to be maintained and repaired on a regular basis. But the CT scan is being used 24X7, thus making it difficult to ensure that the machine is well-maintained," said a GMC official. tnn Said a patient's relative, "The doctor at GMC advised us to go for a CT scan for my grandmother. However, when we reached the CT scan centre we were told that the CT scan is not working and it would be two or three days before it is repaired".
