Govt asks health department to come up with a solution to address high treatment cost in hospitals

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 25, 2021

The state government has asked the health department to come up with solution to address the hardships faced by COVID-19 patients especially with regards to the high costs charged by private hospitals for COVID-19 treatment.

Addressing media persons on Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong informed that the issue related to the medical expenditures which has to be met by concerned patients in different private hospitals was discussed at length during the review meeting.

He said the health department has been asked to come up with solution to help COVID-19 patients for their medical treatment.

“We have asked the health department to bring all details within 48 hours for the government to take a final call on how to go about it,” Tynsong added.

This also came after several NGOs have sought the intervention of the state government into the matter citing that the cost of treatment for COVID-19 in private hospitals is a costly affair.

The NGOs have alleged that the cost of treatment for COVID-19 ranges from Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh adding that the absence of any government orders to this effect has badly affected the low income group of people.

On the other hand, the deputy chief minister informed that the government has also discussed the plight of the families of the patients who died due to COVID-19.

“We have again entrusted this issue to the health department to work out as to what kind of assistance can be given from the government side (to such affected families) and come back to the government within 48 hours,” he said.