The Goa Medical College is one of the oldest medical colleges in Asia

and the only one in Goa. Hence it has a rich heritage of medical
expertise and has produced most of the physicians in Goa that we see
today, but it faces the risk of being shut down, the main culprit being the
Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana

What is the scheme?

Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana is a scheme to provide health
insurance coverage for the entire resident population of the State of Goa,
who are residing in Goa for five years and more. This Scheme was
proposed to cover 173 life saving procedures but will now include 447
procedures which will includes elective procedure such as Caesarean
Deliveries and Hernias. On the surface the scheme appears like a pot of

gold which everyone would want to have, but lets keep in mind that
short term goals dont serve long term purposes.
Implications of the scheme in the long run?
If all the 447 procedures are given to Private Practitioners, the patient
admissions in Wards and OPD enrolment of patients in Goa Medical
College will drastically fall, less than the requirements which are stated
under Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines due to which
Derecognition of MBBS, Post Graduate MD and MS, Paramedical and
Probably even BDS seats might take place.
Due to this the turnover and production of doctors from GMC will
drastically decrease. Also, the currently admitted 150 batches only 100
might have a recognised MBBS while the upcoming batches might have
as few as 70 seats or less.
In this day and age when we require more physicians Goa will feel the
greatest pinch due to lack of physicians and this will cripple the
healthcare delivery system in Goa.
Even if you think of depending on Private Hospitals, think of this, who
will replace these private practitioners when they retire? To serve these
Pvt. Hospitals from where will the doctors come? In short for your short
term gains are to ready to compromise on the health of your children?
Goa will have to import doctors from Belgaum and other places like we
import Vegetables, doctors who wont know your language and culture,
and those who will be coming from GMC will lack knowledge and skills
required.
Patients are said to be the greatest source of knowledge for the doctors,
if we have no patients in GMC which are our most important Teachers,

How will we learn? The Greatest Textbook and the best faculties will be
useless and helpless in such a situation.
Goa will have very few doctors who wont have the required skills, who
will treat you your children and all the other family and extended family
members.
What is the stand taken by Residents and MBBS students?
The residents and MBBS Students are not against the govt or the
scheme. Every Goan has the right to health, and deserves the best of it.
He should get the best of services in cases of emergency will are
included in the 173 procedures included in the earlier bill. We are all for
the Scheme in its original structure, we are against the inclusion of 447
schemes in the bill, which will cripple the only teaching medical
institution in Goa, a argument made by the men in power themselves for
not giving all 447 procedure to the private hospitals.
With less patients, the current Post Graduate and MBBS doctors will
have less exposure and expertise.
With derecognition of seats in the long run due to less patient turnout,
Goa will have less doctors. It is highly possible that you might not have
even one doctor in your family hereafter. All the medical aspirants will
have to move out of the state, pay high capitation fees and become
substandard doctors!
Are you ready to be treated by substandard doctors?
If not help us #saveGMC #save Goa