Kolkata: The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) has directed the state Health department to take steps against Desun Hospital that had accommodated a private loan company within its premises to lend out money to patients who do not have funds to clear dues.
Following the directives of the WBCERC, the Health department served the private hospital a show-cause notice. The WBCERC also directed the Kolkata and the Bidhannagar Police Commissioner to keep a tab on private hospitals to ensure they do not allow private loan companies to operate in their premises. The WBCERC did not pronounce any judgement as the private hospital settled the issue with the patient’s family members.
On August 9, the WBCERC reserved its judgment in connection with an unprecedented case in which Desun Hospital was found to have accommodated a private loan company within its premises.
A 61-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital on July 16 with craniological issues. The patient’s daughter told the Commission that they urged the hospital to admit the patient under ‘Swasthya Sathi’ but the hospital refused to do so. The hospital allegedly said that they were not admitting patients under the scheme as the government delays in giving approval. The patient’s family deposited Rs 60,000 at the time of admission but the hospital demanded a bill of Rs 2.13 lakh. When the family said they did not have the funds, interestingly, the hospital offered a loan saying that there was a private loan company inside the hospital that would take care of the issue.
The patient was discharged on July 24 after the family paid the remaining amount of Rs 1.30 lakh after taking loan from the loan company designated by the hospital.