SILCHAR, March 29 - Alike Guwahati and Dibrugarh, the State Government signed a memorandum of understanding with 22 hospitals of Silchar to provide cashless treatment to patients for the next two months.
This move was taken keeping in view the cessation of Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) from Monday for exclusive treatment of Covid-19 cases. The private hospitals, including an eye hospital under All Assam Non-Governmental Health Establishment Association, Barak Valley chapter signed the MoU in the presence of State Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Forest Minister-cum-minister in-charge for Covid-19 monitoring in Barak Valley, Parimal Suklabaidya, Silchar MP Dr Rajdeep Roy and other functionaries.
Later, talking to mediapersons, Dr Sarma said, �the Government has signed the MoU with 22 private hospitals for cashless treatment of regular patients. The rates of the treatment shall be as per the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which would be reimbursed by the Government. As a preemptive measure to fight against the coronavirus pandemic, SMCH shall be reserved for Covid-19 patients, except maternity, burn unit and emergency cases.�
He also informed that the Government is also planning to come up with a 300-bed hospital equipped with ICU facilities for treatment of Covid-19 cases for which a recce of suitable location is under way.
�Unless we follow the lockdown and maintain social distancing, controlling the situation and keeping the disease at bay will be impossible. We do not have excellent treatment facilities in Barak Valley. Hence, we must follow the guidelines and save ourselves from the grip of the virus,� the Minister said, adding that so far out of 300 samples tested across the state, including some samples from Mizoram, the results have been negative.
Asked about the arrangement of ventilators, the Health Minister said, �entire India is facing crisis for want of ventilators. However, we have been fortunate to procure 50 ventilators. Talks were held with the CMD of Tata Motors and Mahindra Motors, who have assured to assist us with ventilators.�
Meanwhile, Nilava Mazumder, president of All Assam Non-Governmental Health Establishment Association informed that a donation of Rs 1.5 lakh has been given to the Assam Arogya Nidhi account, the Covid-19 relief fund.
Also, the Sadou Assam Zila Prashasan Karmachari Santha of Cachar district has stepped up to donate Rs 1 lakh to the relief fund. In the meantime, the All Assam Non-Governmental Health Establishment Association, Barak Valley chapter donated a cheque worth Rs 1.5 lakh to Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma for the Covid-19 relief fund.
