Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Govt. has paid Kids First Fund India bill
– Dr. Ramsammy
The Ministry of Health has authorised the payments off all monies owed to the Frontier Lifeline Hospital in Chennai by Kids First Fund. This is according to Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy. Earlier in the year, this hospital prevented the 12 patients from leaving the Hospital without settling the bill.
It took the intervention of the Guyana Government to secure their release.
Last week, former First Lady of Guyana, Varshnie Singh, told the media that despite the promise made by the government to foot the bill, it has failed to do so.
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
However, at a press conference yesterday, Minister Ramsammy was adamant that his Ministry paid the money owed to the hospital, as he promised to provide the receipts some time this week.
“We paid money to the hospital. The Ministry of Health has authorised payments of all of the bills and as far as I know we have paid,” Minister Ramsammy told reporters.
He explained that he will address the issue in detail next week when he can get access to his records.
“We have taken care of the bills that we were asked to take care of as far as I know,” Dr. Ramsammy reiterated.
Last week, the Former First Lady said, “The headlines that they (government officials) are putting in the newspapers are absolutely wrong.”
In early June, the Frontier Lifeline Hospital in Chennai prevented the patients from leaving the hospital, since the bill was not paid. After this was revealed, the government had said it would pay the Bill and thus allowed the release of the patients.
However, Singh explained that the incident came about because of a misunderstanding with new hospital staff. She said this was acknowledged by the Hospital’s head, Dr K M Cherian.
“The doctor (KM Cherian) had said it was a misunderstanding with his new staff. He was overseas. We were detained by a day till he got back,” Singh had explained.
Singh took the patients to India under her charity, Kids First Fund. She said the arrangement with the Frontier Lifeline Hospital was for them always to pay the bill afterward.
She said that while the hospital would provide an estimated bill to help the organisation with fundraising, the final bill is provided after surgeries.
In this case, Singh said the outstanding bill is US$87, 452. She said she signed an agreement with the hospital to pay within six months.
Singh also said that contrary to the government saying it would pay the bill, she was still raising money to pay the hospital. As of last week, Kids First Fund needed to raise US$36, 000 more to clear the bill and would do so if the government still yet fails to do so, she said.
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