The Non-Governmental Hospital Association of Mizoram, an umbrella organisation of all private hospitals in the state, on Sunday slammed the state government for allegedly making a false claim that 16 private hospitals agreed to implement the Mizoram State Health Care Scheme.

The association also denounced the official statement on December 18 which claimed that Maraland Gospel Centenary Hospital in south Mizoram’s Siaha town, Mercy Hospital in Serchhip town and DM Hospital in Champhai town also agreed to implement the healthcare plan.

Dr Valalsiama Chhangte, secretary of the association, said 17 of the private hospitals did not implement the state healthcare plan except two in Aizawl. He said 13 private hospitals in Aizawl, Synod Hospital, Adventist Hospital, Greenwood Hospital, Ebenezer Hospital, Aizawl Hospital & Research Center, LRM Hospital, Grace Nursing Home, Care Hospital, Nazareth Hospital, Ramhlun, City Hospital, Redeem Hospital, Bethesda Hospital, Alpha Hospital and four outside the state capital, John Williams Hospital (under Synod) Lunglei, Mercy Hospital, Serchhip, Med Aim Hospital, Champhai and Maraland Gospel Centenary Hospital, Siaha, have not implemented the scheme. Chhangte said they had appealed to the state government to allow them to charge patient as per the estimated expenditure in those hospitals where pre-paid service is not required.

He said the cost of medical expense is very low in Mizoram compared to other states.

On December 18, the government had issued an official statement, claiming that with Maraland Gospel Centenary Hospital, Mercy Hospital and DM Hospital implementing the scheme, at least 16 private and church-run hospitals have agreed to do the same.

In its earlier statement, the government had also said Nazareth Chaltlang, Aizawl, Eye Care Centre, Aizawl, JC Eye Clinic, Aizawl, BN Hospital, Aizawl, Alpha Hospital, Aizawl, Bethesda Hospital, Aizawl, Med-Aim Adventist Hospital, Champhai, Nazareth Nursing Home, Kolasib, Christian Hospital, Lawngtlai, LCMC Lawngtlai, Hope Hospital, Lunglei, and Christian Hospital Serkawn Lunglei, Faith Hospital Lunglei have agreed to implement the scheme.