The stand taken by the Central government and the management of Visakhapatnam Port to go ahead with the decision to invite private participation for upgradation of the Golden Jubilee Hospital (GJH) of Visakhapatnam Port into a multi-disciplinary hospital, ignoring strong opposition from all trade unions has come in for severe criticism.
At an all-party unions press conference, organised at the CITU office here on Monday, the leaders of various unions appealed to port and dock workers, employees, pensioners and their family members to participate in the maha dharna to be organised at the Port Administrative Office Building (AOB) from 10 a.m. on November 8 to oppose the decision for opening of tenders for development of GJH under PPP-mode, on that day.
They said that the move would put the health and medical needs of 40,000 employees, their families and pensioners, khalasi workers and others, who were now depending on the hospital, in the hands of the private stake holders. The 150-bed hospital was constructed by Visakhapatnam Port in 1984 to mark its golden jubilee to cater to the health needs of its employees, retired employees, and their families. Over the past 40 years, GJH has been providing medical services to all categories of employees and their dependents, making it an essential welfare institution within the port ecosystem.
The union leaders recalled that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had in its report in the past said that PPP and BOT policies were a ‘failure’ in ports. The Port Kalavani auditorium and Sports Complex, which were built in the past for the welfare of employees, were handed over to private entrepreneurs, depriving employees of having free access to them. They noted that GJH would go the same way, if private investors were allowed to develop the hospital.
The employees would be made to believe that the hospital would be developed to match the corporate hospitals. Once the private partners gain entry, they would slowly take over and may withdraw some of the facilities available to contract workers, pensions and others on the plea of rising costs. The workers may be asked to pay for the ‘improved’ services, in a phased manner.
They said that the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA), which had assured in the past that it would take the opinions of all federations before taking any decision on development of hospital, has reneged on its promise. They said that the hospital should be developed by the VPA, which was continuously earning profits, and has reserve funds, on its own.
Ramana Babu (AITUC), K. Mangaiah Naidu (HMS), B. Jagan, K. Satyanarayana, B. Lakshmana Rao, J. Satyanarayana and V. Ramalingeswara Rao (all CITU), Krishna Murthy (CFTUI), G. Chandu (INTUC), B. Ravi (BMS) and Pensioners Association leader B. Rama Rao were among those who participated.
Published – November 04, 2024 11:10 pm IST