NEIGRIHMS director downplays allegation

SHILLONG, May 24: After NEIGRIHMS came under the scanner of a local body for allegedly charging COVID-19 patients Rs 10,000 at the time of admission, the director of the institute, Dr P Bhattacharya, has downplayed the allegations while clarifying that the main objective of charging money from the patients is to reduce the chances of the spread of COVID-19 in the hospital.
“We want to reduce the interaction with the patients’ attendants. We have so many patients who are COVID-19 positive and they are walking around in the hospital and this amount is used for the investigation and medicines of the patient,” he said.
According to the institute director, the remaining amount is returned to the patient once they are discharged. The poor or people living below the poverty line (BPL) do not have to pay the amount, he added.
“Till now, we have been treating all BPL patients and patients who are poor and without a card (after proper evaluation). We have been treating them free of cost and will continue to do so. BPL patients don’t have to deposit any money,” Bhattacharya said.
He also informed that patients are allowed to deposit it later, if they don’t have the said amount at that moment,” he added.