The residents of Goa availing medicinal facilities at state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) will be given priority from tomorrow, state Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane has said.

"From next week onwards we will have two queues, one for Goans and another for non-Goans outside the out-patient departments (OPDs) and registration counters at GMCH. We will start charging a nominal fee from non-Goans from December onwards," Rane said yesterday."But in case of emergency, the patient, even if he is not from Goa, would be given priority," he said.

Rane had earlier this month said that non-Goans availing medicinal facilities at state-run hospitals will now have to pay "nominal" fees for the services, offered free of cost till date.He said the decision was taken to ensure that Goans get a "fair deal in these facilities".The health department, headed by Rane, will form a five-member committee under additional secretary (health) to work out the modalities to allow free services in the government hospitals only for the people who are domicile of Goa.The minister earlier said the committee will submit its recommendations on the amount of fees chargeable within next ten days.