Patient's kin fail to pay hospital, treatment denied

A private hospital in Bankura has been accused of denying treatment to a patient after her family members failed to pay the amount the hospital authorities had demanded.

The family members of the victim have also levelled serious charges against the hospital authorities of not treating the patient despite producing Swastha Sathi card issued by the state government.

The private hospital identified as Bankura Seva Niketan Hospital discharged the patient without curing her ailments only because her family members failed to pay the money as they had demanded.

The victim, Anjali Chatterjee was taken to the private hospital by her husband Fatik Chatterjee, after she complained of huge swelling in her legs. The doctors at the hospital advised her family of admission after checking her up. They informed her husband of an infection in her leg and that it had aggravated the situation as she has been suffering from high diabetes. A day after the admission of the patient, some of the staff of the hospital demanded Rs 20,000 from Fatik which he paid. Following this, on the second day, the hospital authorities again demanded Rs 15,000 which he failed to pay.

Her family told the hospital authorities about a health card issued by the state by the virtue of which they were supposed to get some facilities. However, the hospital authorities remained unmoved by what the patient's relatives said. It has been alleged that the hospital authorities asked the patient's husband to take the patient home without her ailments being cured. When Fatik asked about the reason, they allegedly said that the treatment could not be continued if the dues are not paid. The hospital authorities had demanded Rs 53,000 for the treatment of her diabetes levels.

Fatik said that the hospital stopped the treatment of the patient as he failed to pay the amount and asked him to take the patient home. He also said that the patient was later treated by the hospital following the intervention of the local Councillor. However, a senior official of the private hospital denied any negligence in the treatment and said that the woman had been suffering from critical ailments. Hence, the cost of her treatment was a little high.