Outsiders may have to pay at State hospitals

Panaji: The Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday reiterated that the government is committed to charging outstation patients availing facilities at major state-run hospitals.

“This is not a matter of right or wrong. Most Goans lag behind and those from outside (the State) queue up from 4.30 a.m. Whatever the criticism, I will do it,” Mr. Rane said at a press conference. He said the charges may not be huge, even minimal.

“Our government has to protect the interests of the Goan people. We are not denying anybody treatment, but some charges will be levied on outstation patients,” Mr. Rane said.

The State-run Goa Medical College and hospital in Bambolim in North Goa and district hospitals in Mapusa in North Goa and Margao in South Goa often see streams of patients from neighbouring districts like Sindhudurg in Marahastra and Karwar in Karnataka, in addition to local patients.

The issue has been often debated in Goa Assembly with members suggesting the need to charge outstation patients to ensure that state government-run health facilities are not perennially overcrowded.

In reply to a question, the Minister said that a protocol would be evolved for checking the identity of the patients to verify whether they were local or not.