SHILLONG: Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek has justified the decision of the State Government to shift the Reid Chest TB Hospital from Mawbah to Umsawli in New Shillong Township.
“I do not see that the shifting of the TB hospital would affect the patients. If people can go to NEIGRHIMS to take medicines then I do not see they would have any problem to go to Umsawli since it is in the same site,” Hek said while replying to a question raise by UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh during the Question Hour on Wednesday.Replying to a supplementary of Lyngdoh if the shifting of the hospital would not be adding on to the cost of treatment, considering the treatment of TB patient would take between 6 months to 3 years, he stated that such problems would not arise since the patients have been provided with Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) card.
Earlier, Lyngdoh while opposing the shifting of the Reid Chest hospital from Mawbah in the city, said that since Umsawli in New Shillong was going to be the hub of the new township, locating the TB hospital in such a location was not feasible.
Last year, the State Government had signed an agreement with KPC Group for the setting up of a medical college under Private Public Partnership (PPP) at the present Reid Chest Hospital.
