Jehangir Hospital served show cause notice over alleged delay in releasing body

Pune: A show-cause notice has been issued to Jehangir Hospital by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following allegations that the hospital delayed handing over the body of a deceased patient due to pending bills.

According to reports, the patient, a resident of Munjaba Vasti in Dhanori, Pune, was admitted to Jehangir Hospital on May 16 at around 10 am and later died that night at approximately 11:05 pm while undergoing treatment.

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Family members have alleged that despite the patient having insurance coverage, the hospital insisted on a Rs 50,000 deposit at the time of admission and later generated a bill of around Rs 3.25 lakh within approximately 13 hours of treatment. They further claimed that the body was not released immediately after death and was retained until insurance-related formalities were completed, forcing them to wait overnight.

PMC officials stated that the hospital’s actions may violate provisions of the applicable rules under the Bombay Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1949, along with a Maharashtra government notification dated January 14, 2021. Officials cited Rule 11(L) of the regulations, which mandates that the body of a deceased patient must be handed over to relatives without undue delay.

Speaking to The Daily, PMC assistant health officer Dr Suryakant Devkar said the hospital has been asked to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident. “We issued a show-cause notice to the private hospital seeking information. It could be a miscommunication, but we want them to explain. We have also asked the relatives to provide details about their side of the story,” Dr Devkar said.

As per Hindustan Times reports, refuting the allegations, Jehangir Hospital stated that it will revert to the notice. “The patient expired around midnight. To support the family, the body was kept in the mortuary overnight and handed over in the morning as per their request. The insurance process was also expedited during this difficult time, and a concession/discount was provided to assist the family,” the hospital statement read.

The civic body has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the hospital to reply to the notice, failing which they would face action as per the Bombay Nursing Act provisions, reports TOI.

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