NT Reporter
Pernem
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Monday said the state government will set up a new medical college in Pernem block. The Chief Minister made the announcement during inauguration of the Government Hospital and Research Centre in Tuem, Pernem, which has been designated as a linked facility to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim.
Stating that the proposed medical college will function under the jurisdiction of the Tuem hospital, Sawant said, “It will help the locals in terms of admission for medical seats, while also providing medical facilities and business opportunities to people.”
“Once the medical college comes up, people will not be referred to GMC. All the facilities will be provided here considering the increasing population and expansion of the taluka,” Sawant said.
Addressing the gathering after opening the Tuem hospital, Sawant said he was happy to see that all major facilities like medicine, dental services, orthopaedics and X-ray facility were available from Day One. He said the operation theatre at the Tuem hospital will be functional within a maximum of six months.
Stating that the Tuem hospital will be a research centre as the name suggests, Sawant urged young Goan doctors to serve in rural areas. He also appealed to the doctors to join health services and said the government could facilitate their onboarding on consultant basis.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said the Tuem hospital has been developed at a cost of Rs 140 crore. Rane said that Dr Rajesh Patil has been appointed as the nodal officer, who, he said, will handle the functioning of the Tuem hospital and visit it once a week.
The Health Minister said the Tuem hospital will be a district hospital at par with the North Goa District Hospital.
“We will have a medical as well as a nursing college here in Tuem,” Rane said.
Talking about his association with the Chief Minister, Rane said, “I was the one who accepted the resignation of Dr Pramod Sawant for his entry into politics. He was a doctor when I was the health minister, but today I am proud to work under him.”
Present on the occasion were Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar and Pernem MLA Pravin Arlekar.
