Assam: North East India Diocesan Trust Association’s clarification on Saint Luke’s Hospital, Chabua

DIBRUGARH: The North East India Diocesan Trust Association (NEIDTA), the rightful owner of Saint Luke’s Hospital, Chabua on Tuesday clarified the matters regarding the hospital. Addressing a press conference here, NEIDTA secretary Biswajit Barkakoty said, “We wish to address recent events and clarify certain matters for the public record. The hospital has faced significant financial challenges since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, leading the trust to make the difficult decisions to settle all outstanding dues with employees and close its operations in December 2020. Despite these efforts, the closure sparked widespread protests and demands for the hospital’s reopening from various quarters in Chabua and surrounding areas.”

“After careful deliberation and in response to community pressure, the trust explored options to revive the hospital’s services. Subsequently, advertisements were placed in local newspapers inviting interested parties to lease and operate the hospital. Following a rigorous selection process, as well as suggestion received from quite a few prominent persons and organisations of Chabua town, Munin Phukan and his company were chosen as the lessee to run the hospital’s operations on lease,” Barkakoty said.

He further said, “It is extremely regrettable to note that despite clear agreements, including the formation of a monitoring committee with the trust representatives and timely lease payments, certain terms have not been upheld. The lessee has failed to establish the agreed-upon committee and has not fulfilled the financial obligations beyond the initial security deposit.”

“The trust has become increasingly concerned about the lack of transparency and cooperation from the lessee, exacerbated by reports in the local media. The act of unethical attitude of the lessee is not only maligning the century old reputation of the hospital but also causing distrust and damage to the ideology of the trust. Consequently, during the latest Trust Board of Directors’ meeting, it was decided to revoke the lease agreement due to breaches of trust and substantial violations of terms and conditions,” the NEIDTA secretary told media persons in Greater Dibrugarh Press club on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the trust will take necessary steps to address the current situation promptly.

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