Goa Medical College ICU to be outsourced

Goa: In the face of an acute shortage of interventionists, the state government is planning to outsource the running of the intensive care unit(ICU) at Goa Medical College(GMC) and hospitals.

"We are just thinking about it at the moment. We want to ensure that the ICU facilities at GMC improve. At times, even private hospitals refer their ICU patients to GMC." said Health Minister Vishwajit Rane. He said patients would not be charged a fee despite outsourcing. Private hospitals are also to be granted permission to use the upgraded ICU facility provided the services were paid for by them Mr. Rane told TOI.

Private hospitals too find it difficult to get anesthesiologists, a few are ready to work in Goa said a GMC doctor.

"Anesthesiologists are in demand and most prefer to work outside the state for attractive salaries," he said.

"So I don't see how Rane's idea of outsourcing ICU will fructify," he added.

Rane has been quite enthusiastic about up gradation of health hubs ever since he took over the health portfolio of the state. He has also spoken about improving the functioning of other government-run medical facilities in the state, and not just hospitals.

He revealed to the TOI that he was already speaking to some senior doctors associated with noted private hospitals in the state, to render services to government hospitals.He, however, did not reveal any names of doctors saying none had been finalized yet.

‘I'm doing all this to give the best medical facility to the people of Goa,’ he stated. With erring staff suspended and a few senior health officials issued memos, Mr Rane has already warned that he would not tolerate any kind of lethargy from the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) and the public health department.