SHILLONG: Health minister AL Hek has admitted that the pandemic has taken a toll on the state’s exchequer with the inflow of central funds to the state so far apparently not quite adequate.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Hek however said the details of the inflow of central funds were yet to be collected.
The minister further said that the expenditure made by the state health department in taking care of COVID-19 positive patients too has not been ascertained.
“The positive patients at the Corona Care Centres and hospitals are well looked after by the state government,” Hek said.
Regarding compensation to the families of the deceased, the minister said that no such compensation has been provided by the state government, while informing that most of the patients died because of co-morbidity and not “directly due to COVID-19.”
Responding to criticism that people were sceptical of the COVID-19 tests, he admitted that the tests were not accurate.
“The test results may be positive one day and negative the other day. This cannot be explained. The state government will not want such a disease to continue. In fact, nobody wants such a disease”, he said.
Hek said there are many patients who are asymptomatic while the number of symptomatic patients is relatively less.
“Such (asymptomatic) patients are taken to Corona Care Centres, whereas those who require hospitalisation are taken to hospital,” he said.
The government, Hek said, was focused on the welfare of the patients who are in Corona Care Centres as well as government hospitals, and has been spending on food and medicine for the patients.