02/12/2024
Advisory Note to Patients coming to Christian Medical College (CMC) & Hospital, Vellore, and Sankara Nethralaya (Eye Hospital), Chennai for medical treatment:
1: Expenses borne by the Royal Government of Bhutan for:
1.1 Air tickets for the patient and an es**rt from Paro to Kolkata to Chennai, and Chennai to Kolkata to Paro;
1.2 Pick-up from the Chennai International Airport to Vellore/Lodge (for the Chennai patients only);
1.3 Medical expenses for only specific disease referred for treatment; medical expenses include registration, consultation fees, cost of medicines, surgeries, medical procedures, ward charges, etc.
1.4 DSA (daily subsistence allowance) of Nu. 150.00 per day for the first month, and Nu. 125.00 per day from the second month entitled to both patient and es**rt.
2: Expenses NOT borne by the Royal Government of Bhutan:
2.1 For accommodation, food, local transport, and miscellaneous during the stay in Vellore/Chennai;
2.2 Drop to the Chennai International Airport for the Return Journey from Vellore/Chennai.
3. Hospitalization/Admission into Ward
3.1 All Bhutanese patients being referred to CMC Hospital/Sankara Nethralaya Hospital may NOT require admission/hospitalization;
3.2 Most of the patients have to avail the medical services as an Out-patient;
3.3 Hospitalization/Admission shall be determined by the treating physician(s);
3.4 For CMC patient, a female es**rt is recommended for the reason if the patient needs admission in the hospital only female attendant is allowed to stay with patient during the night hours, although male attendant is allowed in the daytime (CMC hospital policy);
3.5 If a patient is accompanied by a male attendant/es**rt, a local female attendant needs to be arranged by the patient es**rt in consultation with nurses of the ward. For local attendant, the patient party has to pay Rs. 300.00 per night. The expenses shall be borne by the patient party.
4. Accommodation/Lodging
4.1 No Guest House facility in Vellore/Chennai;
Applicable to CMC patients
4.2 Apartments/Flats of 1BHK to 2BHK are costing from Rs. 7,000.00 to Rs.20,000.00 per month;
4.3 Usually an apartment will have a bed with mattress, pillows, a refrigerator, and a stove got LPG cylinder connection;
4.4 Usually only the bedroom has AC facility;
4.5 Encouraged to bring bed sheets and pillow covers since those available may not be satisfactory;
4.6 Usually additional facilities like TV, a set of sofa are found in some Apartments/Flats, comparatively high rental charges apartments;
4.7 A refilled LPG cylinder is arranged by the apartment/flat owners on demand with additional charges of Rs. 1200.00 to 1500.00;
4.8 Usually, the Apartment/Flats owners demand for an advance payment for TWO months;
4.9 The occupants have to pay Rs 3,000.00 to 5,000.00 in addition to the amounts for two months advance as security deposit.
4.10 Unlike the expensive and well-furnished Apartments/Flats, the owners of low house rent apartment/flat do not provide necessary utensils;
4.11 Encouraged to bring a rice cooker, curry cooker, instant boiler and while plates and mugs can be purchased from the local shops here/or take from Bhutan Liaison Office depending on the availability;
4.12 If apartment not available at the time of arrival, one has to be mentally prepared to stay in hotel rooms on per night (budget hotel–Rs. 1200.00 and 900.00 per night for AC and Non Rooms respectively- estimates only);
Note: The above information on accommodation is applicable only to a place called Sathuvachari, Vellore where the Bhutan Liaison Office is located, and almost all Bhutanese patients reside in this area.
Sathuvacheri is located in between the Main CMC, Vellore campus- roughly 3 KM, and CMC Ranipet Campus CMC (new)-approximately 10 KM.
5. Electricity Bill (EB) and Water
5.1 Tenants have to pay for electricity bill (EB) separately, it is NOT included in the monthly apartment rental charges;
5.2 Usually, the apartment/flat owners charge the occupants at Rs. 3.00 to 8.00 per unit of the electricity consumption depending on location and the apartment/flat owner;
5.3 Tenants need to take a photograph/picture of the last reading of electricity metre while occupying the apartment/flat;
5.4 Tap water is not safe for drinking and cooking, however, can be used for bathe and cloth washing;
5.5 Water for drinking and cooking has to be purchased:
5.5.1 A 20 litre jeri cane of drinking water costs Rs.120.00;
5.5.2 A 20 litre jeri cane of cooking water costs Rs.40.00.
6. Weather & Climate
6.1 Temperature ranges from 15.0°C to 47.0°C;
6.2 Humidity: Ranges from 40%–63% and 67%–86% during summer and winter respectively;
6.3 Hottest months: April to June;
6.4 Mildest months: December to January;
6.5 Monsoon months: June to September;
7. Other Important Notes
1. Vellore and Chennai may be considered as conservative societies, so wearing the shorts by ladies especially in public places may viewed as inappropriate dressing up;
2. Patients have to make payments for consultation fees, medical tests/investigations, medicines, etc when visiting the hospital as out-patient, however, later (NOT necessarily at the end of treatment) get reimbursed from the Bhutan Liaison Office, Vellore;
3. Payments mentioned in the Sl. 2 can be made in cash or using the updated VISA/INR/RuPay card/Mastercard;
4. An Indian phone SIM card costs Rs. 600.00
5. At the Kolkata Airport, for transit from the International Arrival Terminal to Domestic Departure Terminal for Chennai Airport DO NOT exit the airport but ask an airport staff for the direction.
6. Patients and their accompanying persons are encouraged to carry a Rupay card (Bhutan National Bank Limited) or an INR card (Bank of Bhutan). It’s important to be aware that using a Rupay card or INR card allows for cash withdrawals of up to Rs.15, 000.00, and card swipes totaling Rs.50, 000.00 within a month. ATM cards of any bank in Bhutan can with draw up to Rs. 15,000.00 per month.
7. May require minimum of Rs 50,000.00 to Rs. 60,000.00 to meet the expense like two months advance payment for the apartment/flat/accommodation, local transport, food and, make payments for consultation fees, medical tests/investigations, medicines, etc;
8. Please do not forget to carry your travel documents: Citizen Identity Card/Passport, Air tickets, Fit Fly Certificate (if issued).
9. Paro to Kolkata (international flight): Check-in Baggage: 30kgs, and Hand Baggage: 7 Kgs. However, Kolkata to Chennai (domestic flight): Check-in Baggage: 15kgs, and Hand Baggage: 7 Kgs.
8. Specific to patients coming to Sankara Nethralaya, Eye Hospital in Chennai
8.1 No Guest House facility;
8.2 May opt for rooms in hotels with cooking facility (LGP, stove, and utensils available BUT no rice cooker, curry cooker and water boiler);
8.3 A hotel, Guest Inn at 27/12, Begum Sahib Street, Mackeys Garden, Thousand Lights, Chennai -600006 is the commonly opted hotel by the Bhutanese patients;
8.4 At Guest Inn, a twin bed hotel rooms with cooking facility cost at least Rs.1,500.00 (AC room) and Rs. 1000.00 (no AC room) per night;
8.5 The Guest Inn is within a range of ONE kilometer from the Sankara Nethralaya Hospital;
8.6 Mr. Bimal (Nepali), Manager of the Guest Inn can be contacted at mobile phone number 0091-70340 81861 (WhatsApp);
8.7 Initial payment for three nights at the time of check-in is commonly practiced in Chennai;
8.8 Distance between the Chennai International Airport and the Sankara Nethralaya Hospital is about 15 KM.
8.9 Pick-up from the Chennai International Airport will be arranged by the Bhutan Liaison Office
For clarification, please contact the Liaison Officer at 0091-98430 92907 or the Accountant at 0091-98432 92907.
