CHITTOOR: Continuing his support to needy Covid-19 patients, Bollywood actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood has once again extended financial aid to a patient from Chittoor district.N Venkatesh of Penumuru mandal is a photographer. On May 18, he tested positive for Covid and was admitted to a private hospital in Chittoor under the YSR Aarogyasri Scheme. As there was no improvement in his health condition, Venkatesh was shifted to a private hospital in Tirupati on the advice of doctors. “We did not get a bed under Aarogyasri category in the private hospital. We had to take a paid bed,’’ Venkatesh’s brother Surendra told TNIE.
After a few days of treatment, my brother’s condition improved and he was ready to be discharged. But the hospital bill amounted to Rs 3.50 lakh, which was beyond our financial capability. “We have already taken a loan of Rs 2 lakh from a private financier. We still needed `1.50 lakh to pay the hospital bill,’’ he said.He explained the situation to his relative Chintan, who immediately posted a tweet narrating the plight of Venkatesh and tagged Sonu Sood seeking help and the actor promptly responded by providing timely help to the needy patient.
The Bollywood actor came to the rescue of Venkatesh through Sood Charity Foundation. “The Sood Charity Foundation representative contacted me over phone and verified the matter with the hospital authorities. The representative had settled the hospital bill for Rs 2.50 lakh by consulting the management,’’ Surendra informed. “We are very thankful for the financial support of Sonu Sood,” he added. Venkatesh was discharged from the hospital on May 30 after the final bill was settled by the Sood Charity Foundation.
EG patient gets oxygen concentrator
Sonu Sood has also provided an O2 concentrator to a Covid-19 patient from Indira Nagar in Pithapuram. The patient, an auto driver, has been suffering from respiratory problem after testing positive. With no option left, his son urged Sonu Sood through Twitter to provide an oxygen concentrator to his father.