SHILLONG, March 25: NEIGRIHMS Director, Dr. P. Bhattarcharya has informed that the institute does not have enough funds to commit in case a second wave of COVID-19 hits the state.
“We did not receive funds for COVID-19 from the Centre even during the first wave. Our budget is over now. We have no more funds to commit at this point of time. It is a very difficult scenario where you cannot expect an institute to borrow money from the market to fight COVID-19,” the NEIGRIHMS Director told reporters on Thursday.
Stating that the institute will use whatever funds they have at their disposal, he admitted that NEIGRIHMS was facing at a difficult situation.
The director however said that it is anticipated that the state will take care of COVID-19 patients during the initial stages.
“We will be sharing the caseloads if a bigger wave hits the state. But during the initial period we hope that the state government will be able to manage on its own,” Dr. Bhattacharya said.
Confessing that out that the institute suffered from manpower shortage right from the onslaught of COVID-19, he said the institute will find it difficult to manage both the COVID centre and the normal super specialty departments.
“We will keep ourselves ready to manage a bigger load of patients if the number of cases really shoots up. We will have to share the responsibility since this is our duty towards the people of Meghalaya,” Dr. Bhattacharya stated.
Asserting that people needs to take precautions by wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, he said that they should get themselves tested if there is any symptom.
“There is no fear anymore that you will be ostracised since people are now more aware that this problem is going to be there for a long time now,” the director said, while cautioning that a second wave of COVID-19 is due.
