From Personal Tragedy to Political Promise: Vishwajit Rane's Mission to Transform Goa's Healthcare

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane reflects on his father's hospitalization in a poorly equipped ICU at Goa Medical College, spurring his dedication to improving healthcare infrastructure in the state. He shares his journey from witnessing inadequate medical facilities to enhancing health services, particularly emphasizing improved heart attack treatment.

Goa's Health Minister, Vishwajit Rane, vividly remembers a personal incident that shaped his political journey. It involved his father, then Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane, who suffered a heart attack and was admitted to a poorly equipped ICU at the Goa Medical College. This event in the 1990s highlighted the dire conditions of healthcare facilities in the state at the time.

Recounting the experience at a health camp in Thivim, Vishwajit Rane described the lack of infrastructure that affected critical care, recalling a distressing scene where a cat was found on the ICU bed beside his father. The experience motivated him to promise significant improvements in the state's health services if he entered politics.

Years later, as Health Minister, he has fulfilled that pledge, ensuring that every Primary and Community Health Centre in Goa now has professionals capable of performing lifesaving procedures for heart attack patients. This transformation underscores his commitment to strengthening Goa's health sector infrastructure.

(With inputs from agencies.)