Govt may stop home isolation

SHILLONG, May 24: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the government might do away with home isolation of the COVID-19 positive patients by setting up more corona care centres in the state.
“We are considering doing away with home isolation. It is for this reason we are trying to create more corona care centre to keep the COVID-19 patients,” he said on Monday.
Tynsong said the government is weighing this option because of questions being raised. “But this will happen only after we have managed to ramp up the corona care centres across the state,” he added.
DHS (MI) Dr Aman War said the total occupancy of hospital beds across the state is now 90 per cent.
“We are trying to increase the number of beds at the Umsawli COVID-19 hospital. We are also trying to create more corona care centres. If the situation arises, patients in process of recovery can be shifted to corona care centres so that beds can be made available for those in critical condition,” he said.
Dr War said he has called a meeting of private hospitals to find out why their COVID-19 treatment is so expensive.
There have been complaints that the private hospitals are charging Rs 2 lakh from a COVID-19 patient. Some patients have died even after their kin coughed up Rs 4 lakh.
“Yes, I am aware of this. I have called meeting with all the private hospitals to discuss this matter. I would be able to give a reply on this only after the meeting,” Dr War said.
He will also be meeting officials from NEIGRIHMS to find out about an order making it mandatory for a COVID-19 patient to deposit Rs 10,000 at the time of admission.
Even though COVID-19 treatment is covered under MHIS, Dr War said that the scheme does not cover patients who opt for private wards in private hospitals.
“There are medicines such as Remdesivir, which costs Rs 10,000 for a shot and is not covered under MHIS,” he pointed out. A single dose of some injections cost up to Rs 40,000.
Tynsong said the government has plans to add more packages under MHIS.
“Some decision will be taken in this connection after a meeting tomorrow (Tuesday). We will also know why the treatment in private hospitals is very costly after this meeting,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Health Department is keeping a close watch on any case of black fungus infection.
“As of now, there is no report of any case in the state. Black fungus is most unlikely to crop up in Meghalaya since we have a temperate climate. But I have directed all the hospitals treating COVID-19 patient to watch out,” he said.
Black fungus mainly affects those who are immune-compromised, which includes COVID positive patients under C and D categories, Dr War said.