HYC appalled at high neonatal care cost in city hospital, seeks waiver for needy

By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 15: Appalled at the high cost of neonatal care at Ganesh Das Hospital here, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Monday urged the hospital authorities to exempt families from poor financial backgrounds from charges at the newly launched Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit (NNICU).
Led by its president, Roy Kupar Synrem, HYC members met the hospital’s medical superintendent to express their concerns over a notification issued by the hospital management, which set the daily rate for ventilator and oxygen services at Rs 1,500 for newborns in the NNICU. The notification also outlined several other charges for services provided in the unit.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Synrem highlighted that many families seeking treatment at the hospital are financially disadvantaged and unable to afford the fixed charges. He pointed out that most of these Below Poverty Line (BPL) families cannot pay the fees set by the hospital’s internal management committee.
He also noted that many families lack the Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) card necessary for availing services without payment.
Furthermore, even families with MHIS cards often do not have them linked with Aadhaar cards.
Synrem reported that the medical superintendent assured them the hospital is willing to set up a help desk to assist families in linking their MHIS cards with Aadhaar.
Additionally, families without MHIS cards can present either BPL or ration cards to receive free services. The HYC president stated that the hospital will also accept authorization letters from Rangbah Shnongs (village headmen) verifying the financial status of families without BPL or ration cards. Synrem emphasized that many families do not possess these cards due to the state still relying on data from the 2011 Census.
“We are yet to have the data of the 2021 Census,” he added.