Opposition wants Laxmikant Parsekar to resign over GMC racket (ToI)

TNN | Oct 22, 2013, 04.44 AM IST PANAJI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress on Monday separately called for health minister Laxmikant Parsekar's head, demanding he be sacked for allegedly allowing patients at the Goa Medical College and hospital (GMC) to be 'extorted' by privately -run laboratories. RTI activists had recently exposed the practice of pathologists from private laboratories collecting blood samples from patients admitted to GMC. With a video clip, they had charged that technicians from a politically-affiliated lab had been going to the hospital and collecting blood samples for payments with no objection from the ward officials. One had even alleged that this was happening due to political patronage. Congress legislative party spokesperson Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco claimed that Parsekar was 'well-aware' of the situation. "Why is this happening? Who is involved? Is the health minister involved? If he is not involved, let him say that and take action," Lourenco said. Parsekar had tried to deny it recently, he said. NCP vice president Trajano D'Mello went a step further, alleging that it was a big racket with political patronage and demanded a CBI inquiry. D'Mello also claimed that the GMC was not following correct procedures of tendering to procure drugs, reagents and equipment. "Parsekar is encouraging these scams at GMC, which affects the poor. He should not be given the honour of resigning as health minister, but should be sacked from the post," he said. GMC dean Dr V N Jindal countered that very few medical tests are 'outsourced'. "The laboratory at GMC tests at least 1,000 blood samples a day. There are a few advanced tests that our lab is not equipped to perform, like some hormone investigations. These are done in private laboratories, and the patients are required to pay for them. These may number hardly 5 or 6 samples a day, as compared to the 1,000 we are testing," said Dr Jindal. "As soon as it was brought to my notice, that staff from private labs are entering the wards to collect samples, I issued a directive that all blood samples must only be collected by our own nurses or doctors and then sent out. Private technicians are no longer allowed to collect samples directly," he added. Parsekar late evening said that an inquiry would be conducted. http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Times_of_India/