Kolkata: There was commotion in a city private hospital after its management refused to release a patient, whose relatives had paid the entire bill amount of Rs 40,000 in coins – in view of demonetisation of higher currency notes.
Sukanta Chauli, a resident of West Bengal’s Howrah district, was admitted to B.P. Poddar Hospital and Medical Research Ltd at New Alipore in south Kolkata four days back after being detected with dengue.
The hospital authority, informed Chauli’s family that he was fit for discharge and asked them to clear the dues.
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According to the patient party, the hospital refused to accept denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.
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“The hospital told us to first clear all dues amounting to Rs 40,000 in denominations other than Rs 500 and Rs 1000, as those are now useless,” said a relative of the patient.
In a desperate attempt to release Chauli, his relatives turned to their piggy banks and arranged the entire bill amount of Rs 40,000 in coins; which the hospital authority refused to accept.
“We have arranged for the due amount in coins but the hospital won’t accept them now as they say it is logistically impossible to count so many coins,” a member of Chauli’s family complained.
“They came up with bags of coins and piggy banks to complete the payment. We refused to accept that initially as it is impossible to count so many coins,” a hospital employee said.
The situation got out of hand as the hospital staff and the patient party engaged in a war of words over the payment. A television journalist was reportedly beaten up by the hospital security guards and sustained a head injury.
“The television journalist was badly beaten up when he enquired about the issue,” an eye witness said.
But after matters turned ugly, the hospital buckled and agreed to release the patient by accepting the coins.
The hospital management said the turn of events would be probed.
“We have accepted the coins and the patient has been discharged today. We can not comment on the altercation with the TV reporter before probing who beat up whom,” Sumit Khan, the hospital vice president, told IANS.
Studied at Indraprastha College for Women (Delhi University), completed in year 2014. Currently working with Medical Dialogues, a online Medical news paper dedicated for healthcare Professionals.
Black money may ir maynot be eliminated but general public is suffering and it\’s a fact.How many politicians,judges,big business and higher authority have been seen in bank line? Only and Only common man.IT CLEARLY PROVES THAT ONLY COMMON MAN HAS BLACK MONEY AND ALL BADE LOG ARE\”CLEAN,CLEAR And NON CORRUPT HAVING NO BLACK MONEY\”??????
It shame up on part to the Indian constitution without any information this theifs have banned these notes. God this their to take his actions. Why to punish the poor common man when you don\’t have guts to punish the culprit leaders who has accounts in Swiss bank. For this you leader\’s have to take another \’ janm\’. to do this. Jai Hind
Hospital \”…agreed to release the patient by accepting the coins.\”
Wow, did I read that right?
And what would they have done had he not paid? Injected him with some cultured dengue virus? Another serotype obviously!
Or maybe called the police!!!
GOVT NEED TO COME UP WITH A LAW FOR PATIENTS REFUSING TO PAY BILL ON DISCHARGE. GOVT NEED TO REIMBURSE IMMEDIATELY AND RECOVER FROM PATIENT.IT IS A COMMON CAUSE OF VIOLENCE, AND RUCKUS IN HOSPITALS.GOVT. SEEM TO BE ONLY INTERESTED IN HEALTHCARE WITHOUT ANY FEES. ASKING FOR FEES HAS BECOME A CRIME
When the patient paid the amount In coins- a legal currency the hospital had no business to refuse discharge – remember the higher Courts have taken a serious view of refusal to discharge as a case of forceful confinement. Given the prevailing crisis situation in the country they should have been more accommodating, really sad to hear the situation that occurred, take this – in a town in Tamil nadu people on the night of 8th were stranded at a Bus stop because transporters refused to accept 500 notes after demonetization was announced. A local person brought in change and gave it to the stranded people in exchange for the invalid notes, there is something called humanity