The Hindu : Goa plans 100 p.c. medical insurance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 03, 2004

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Goa plans 100 p.c. medical insurance

By Anil Sastry

PANAJI, FEB. 2. The Goa Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, has said that his Government was planning a scheme to provide 100 per cent medical insurance for the people. He was speaking after inaugurating the super-speciality Apollo Victor Hospital at Margao on Sunday.

The scheme would help people to get treatment at best hospitals.

Mr. Parrikar said the Apollo Hospital would add to the existing health care services in the State.

He felt that doctors should be exempted from the Consumer Protection Act as it could spoil the relationship between the doctors and the patients.

The Chief Minister did not hesitate to give the Opposition their due. Referring to the former chief ministers, Pratap Singh Rane and Wilfred D'Souza, he said, "Mediclaim was the best thing" that they did for the State. Education and health are the top priorities of his Government, he said, adding that the process of upgradation of various hospitals, including the Hospicio Hospital in Margao, had already begun.

Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Group of Hospitals, said that India was in a position to surge ahead in health care with the opening of super-speciality hospitals. People from abroad were looking to India for health care facilities.

The Health Minister, Suresh Amonkar, said the Government would not come in the way of anyone who wished to improve the health of Goans. There can even be `health tourism' as Goa is a famous destination for tourists, he said.

Power Minister Digambar Kamat congratulated Victor Albuquerque, Chairman and Managing Director of the Hospital, for his initiative.

The former Chief Minister and Opposition leader, Pratap Singh Rane, and the South Goa Lok Sabha member, Ramakant Angle, were present

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