Pay for COVID – 19 treatment if vaccines refused

Nov 13, 2021 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – COVID-19 is a travesty to Guyana and the world! I would think that every human being on the earth has had some relative, friend or associate who has suffered prolonged pains, injuries and death.
COVID-19 has been one of the worst harbingers of death and destruction in families, nations and national economies. It has even caused the pauperization of families by deaths of breadwinners. Even if recovered those would never be normal again. The psychological trauma that is left on families: the pains, the depression and other psychological and mental illnesses that result due to sufferings and death cannot be measured.
In Guyana and the world, we owe a special salute, appreciation and prayers for the medical doctors, nurses and staff that keep looking out for the infected. Many of whom contracted the dreadful disease and eventually died. I have seen families wiped out, I have seen several cases of my own relatives who contracted the disease and died.
When I visit simple places in Guyana like the Mon Repos market, I speak to people about wearing their masks. Usually the venders, especially the fish venders! They make all kinds of ludicrous excuses including saying it is a manmade thing. Then I would tell them if it is a manmade thing or not, it still kills! Therefore, you need to protect yourself! Many are proudly proclaiming that they will not take the vaccine or wear masks.
In the early days of the coronavirus, I appealed to people to be careful. Then, as the vaccine came around, I begged people in Guyana and around the world to get the vaccines. Many refused! I know of cases where many contracted the coronavirus aka COVID-19 and wished that they had taken the vaccine or wear a mask. They wished that they had been more proactive in protecting themselves by following the COVID-19 precautionary protocols. Being too late many suffered! Many have died!
I call upon the Guyanese people to get vaccinated! I call upon the Government to create small infomercials showing the pains and sufferings of those infected. And of families who lost loved ones particularly the breadwinner. Small infomercials with heavy drama! I Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan am willing to act for free. I appeal to fellow citizens to use free Facebook posts and expressions on Instagram and others to highlight the pain and sufferings of people.
It is my opinion that if you refuse to take the vaccine, the taxpayers’ dollars should not be used to finance their treatment if they become infected. I know that budgeted medical allocations set by parliament have been increased to accommodate this disastrous disease that is creating havoc in our country. We are nearing the one thousand mark. A thousand people with our population give us one of the highest in deaths and infections when compared internationally. Thank God for a good government that is truly conscientious, and working with all stakeholders to bring relief financially and every means possible to the people of this country.
When I expressed to people that they need to pay for their own medical treatment if they refuse to take the vaccine, I got some good ‘Cuss Down’. Strange enough those people who are refusing blatantly are the same people who do not pay their fair sums to the GRA.
With that in mind I was quite elated to learn that in Singapore, which has one of the highest rates of vaccination compared to the world, their vaccination exceeds 80%, foreign workers have to contribute to a special savings account, which will look out to help the migrant workers in the event of COVID-19, or serious illnesses and also COVID-19 treatment and deaths. However, the Singaporean Government has now also established laws by which citizens, who refuse to take the vaccine will have to finance their own medical attention; this is something I, as a citizen of Guyana, believe in.
It is unfair for the tax dollars, especially of a poor country like ours, to be used to treat the recalcitrant. The Government is doing the right thing by providing the best of service and vaccines to its citizens. So, it is wrong for taxpayers’ dollars to pay for those who blatantly refuse to take the vaccines, except for those who might be medically ill otherwise, and should not take the vaccines. The argument is that people still die. Yes, I agree people still die, though a few people have died despite having both vaccines! This in part is due to the variant caused by the recalcitrant, or those who plainly refuse to take the vaccine. Thus, increasing the numbers of unvaccinated in Guyana and around the world, in which these bodies become hosts for the disease. Many may have the disease but do not show symptoms, yet spreading it like wildfire, thinking that they are not infected.
I understand that some people are seeking treatment at a private medical centre, and are being bled to death financially by the medical centre which promises a magical cure. They mix a cocktail of pain killing drugs, put some coloring to create drama as a placebo. Or some mere pain killer injections and charge between $200,000 to $400,000 per day. Not being a hospital, the people have to return the follow day for treatment only to be charged the same $200,000-$400,000 per day. This suspected money laundering outfit is bleeding people, who believe that they could get better treatment out of the COVID-19 hospital. Many have died and many became bankrupt. I have heard of another case where a person left the COVID-19 hospital thinking that he/she was not getting good treatment and went to a private hospital in Central Georgetown. He/she was there for about a week, after initially having the best treatment at the Government COVID-19 hospital. After a week’s stay at this private hospital, he/she had to pay about 7 million dollars. Well, I always believe that the fool and his money must part.
Coming back to the point that I am raising here, I wish to call on the Government of Guyana to send out releases and warnings, by giving a one-month moratorium to all those have not taken the vaccines, that Government cannot afford to finance them any longer, even though they might be admitted to the Government or COVID-19 hospital. They, along with their families, will be billed and action can be taken to recover the payments if they do not pay. As a matter of fact, private hospitals function in such a manner that if one is released and cannot pay the bill, he/she cannot leave the hospital. This is the system needed from Government. Further, relatives should sign guarantees for those who are affected after having been warned that infected patients will have to pay for any and all COVID-19 treatment.
I know people will want to cuss me down for this and more, but I am willing to say as a public personality I do not care. I care about people complying with policies and procedures that are better and best for themselves and for our country. So, if I raise a matter that is controversial then fine, cuss me all you want. All I want is safety for those, who are refusing the vaccine and for our country and the Government to be in a good financial state. It is unfair for those who do not have their personal medical insurance even wealth to refuse to take the vaccine, then putting the country in economic situation that could break us.
So, Government of Guyana I have stated my piece, do what has to be done!

Sincerely,
Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan

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