3 years on, Tuem hospital yet to open, locals sick of delay
The long-delayed construction of the 100-bed Tuem hospital was finally completed in Sep 2021, but there are no signs that it will be commissioned any time soon. Health minister Vishwajit Rane held a meeting on the matter with senior health officials this week, a local said, only after people announced a gathering on Sunday to discuss the hold-up.
Sources said that as soon as the public declared their intention to congregate for the gathering, Rane held a meeting with Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar, the health secretary, the director of health services, and other officials concerned.
In a social media post, Rane said he has directed officials to expedite the opening of the hospital. But he did not specify a date.
Built by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), the hospital was proposed to cater to the entire Pernem taluka.
The first announcement about the hospital was made by Manohar Parrikar, the CM at the time, in Aug 2013. The foundation was laid to upgrade the Tuem community health centre into a full-fledged hospital.
According to GSIDC sources, while the structure of the medical facility has been completed, ancillary equipment and machinery required have yet to be purchased and installed. GSIDC has yet to hand over the hospital to the health services.
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GSIDC sources said that facilities and equipment for outpatient care are ready.
The procurement of medical equipment is stuck because the handover has yet to be completed and there is uncertainty over the role that the facility will play. This uncertainty has also affected the recruitment of staff.
A meeting has been planned in the coming days to decide on the list of equipment required, the funds needed, and approval for the tender documents.
With no large healthcare facility in the taluka, home to a population of about a lakh, Pernem's people have to either travel to North Goa District Hospital at Peddem or to GMC at Bambolim.
Frustrated over the delay of three years in the opening of the hospital, locals formed a group, Tuem Hospital Kruti Samittee, to pressure govt to open the hospital swiftly.
'We demand that Tuem hospital be commissioned and made fully operational, linked to GMC, and employment be given to locals,' the convener of the committee, Devendra Prabhudesai, told
TOI
. 'We have called a mass public meeting on Sunday to press for our demands.'
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