Deadline for South Goa District Hospital Moved to May

South Goa district hospital, the construction on which began five years ago, is slated to be ready in April-May, 2019, Goa state infrastructure development corporation (GSIDC) chairman Deepak Pauskar said. The hospital completion has been delayed for some or the other reason despite all South Goa legislatures repeatedly demanding that it be completed on war footing. The hospital’s construction could not be completed in accordance with the schedule and missed several earlier deadlines due to many modifications made in the original plan, Pauskar said. A year ago, the corporation was hoping to complete the hospital by the end of 2018, but has now deferred this deadline by six months. Few changes were suggested by health minister Vishwajit Rane, Pauskar said, adding that these were indeed required to ensure that the district hospital, which will cater to the whole of South Goa, has all the possible facilities.

“As much as 90 percent of the works have been completed and we complete it by April-May,” Pauskar said. Rane told TOI that he will hold a consultation with town and country planning minister Vijai Sardesai next week to expedite the completion of the hospital. An official with the corporation said that the only operation theaters and the setting up of the medical gas supply system remain to be completed. The hospital will have nine operation theaters. The official said that come what may the hospital will be ready in a maximum of another four months, after which it will immediately be handed over to the public health department. Since Hospicio, which presently caters to South Goa, is in bad shape, it has become all the more important that the construction of the district hospital be completed without further delay. – TOI