Govt. to pay India bill

Jun 28, 2009 News

The government of Guyana is extremely concerned over the issue of a number of children being stranded in India over the non-payment for services at the Frontier Lifeline Hospital in Chennai, India, said Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy.

“As Minister of Health, I spoke with (President Bharrat Jagdeo) who expressed deep concern that children have been taken to India without complete arrangements being made to ensure their costs have been met.

“The President has instructed that I take all necessary actions to ensure the children can return home without further delay and that the Ministry of Health must put arrangements in place to prevent another such occurrence.”

Dr Ramsammy said that Government is taking immediate steps to ensure that these children return home without further trauma.

“The government will meet the outstanding charges to the Hospital so that the children and their families would not have to suffer further humiliation and trauma.”

He is requesting all persons who agree to go with individuals and organizations in the future “to contact us so that we can verify that all arrangements are in place for such services that they are going for.”

“The Ministry of Health will not support any organization or any individual with funds to leave Guyana unless they can verify with us that they have all the remaining funds to complete all arrangements for services in the countries they are traveling to.

“The Ministry notes that some of the children stranded in India had made requests to the Guyana Government for support and had received such support.”

The Health Minister said that this is the second time that the Ministry of Health has had to pay outstanding bills for children who were taken out of the country for medical attention, even though the Government had provided support for some of the children.

The government provided more than $93M last year for medical attention not provided in the public health sector in Guyana. Many of the children and adults who have traveled abroad for medical attention, including many who have traveled with Kids First Fund, have received support from Government, he added.

“We are saddened that some of these organizations seek to present a different story and give the impression that the Government is not assisting. On the contrary, significant support for most of the children is provided by Government.”

Government has been in touch with Guyana’s High Commissioner to India, Ronald Gajraj, and has requested that he conclude all arrangements with the hospital to ensure the children return home without further delay and without any further humiliation.

“The Government of Guyana will meet any outstanding financial obligation.”