Thaindian News

Panaji, July 13 (IANS) State Revenue Minister Jose Phillip D’Souza Monday said he will fight tooth and nail against a health department decision to convert a state-run hospital in his assembly segment in south Goa into a specialized facility for treatment of swine flu patients.
“I am going to oppose the government’s decision in every way possible. I do not want it in my constituency (Vasco). Vasco has a population of nearly two lakh and swine flu may spread to other residents here,” D’Souza, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator, told IANS.

The hospital is at Chicalim, a few km from the port town of Vasco.

“Poor people in Vasco have no option but to go to the Chicalim Cottage Hospital. And the facilities there are not good. What if the infection spreads from the quarantine ward there?” D’Souza said.

Six patients suspected of swine flu were quarantined at the Chicalim hospital after they showed swine flu-like symptoms. They were discharged Sunday after tests conducted on their throat swab samples proved negative.

“It is an injustice to the people of Vasco to have this hospital dedicated to swine flu. They should make this quarantine facility in a remote place,” D’Souza said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also opposed the health department’s decision.

Former state BJP president Rajendra Arlekar criticized the decision to upgrade the hospital into an exclusive swine flu facility.

“We are putting a lot of lives at risk by doing this. Vasco needs a health care facility to look after its population. Taking away the Chicalim hospital would cause hardship to patients,” said Arlekar, a former legislator from Vasco.

The state health department was, however, adamant about its choice and decision.

“We have to make do with the options we have at the moment, because the swine flu outbreak was sudden. We need an exclusive facility to ensure that the influenza does not spread to other patients who are presently at the Chicalim Cottage Hospital,” a health department official said.