Assam Private hospitals told to release bodies despite unpaid bills
Guwahati: The Assam cabinet, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has approved strict regulatory measures to prevent private hospitals and nursing homes from withholding the bodies of deceased patients over unpaid medical bills.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday. According to the media reports, the Chief Minister said the government had received multiple complaints about hospitals withholding bodies for days, effectively using them as leverage to compel families to clear pending medical bills.
Calling such situations 'against human dignity', he said, “You cannot keep a dead body as hostage. The cabinet has decided that if any nursing home tries to do that, their licence will be suspended for three to six months and they will be fined Rs 5 lakh,” reports TNIE.
The government has warned that in case of repeat violations, the offending institutions will face permanent licence cancellation and be blacklisted.
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