Kerala Govt hospital charges electricity rent from bedridden patient for using personal table fan

Thiruvananthapuram: In a shocking incident, government hospital authorities allegedly imposed electricity charges on a bedridden patient who brought a fan from his home to the surgery ward at the hospital where the fans were not working.

Nedumangad district hospital authorities collected money from the patient for electricity rent. They charged Rs 100 as rent for two days for using the table fan.

Even though the patient had bought the table fan from his home, the hospital charged him for using the fan for two days. When asked about the incident, the hospital authorities claimed that they only charged electricity rent from the patient.

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The 39-year-old patient of Vellanadu Preeja was undergoing treatment after a road accident the past 9 months. He has a fractured spine following a bike accident. After further treatment at the medical college, he was shifted to Nedumangad district hospital.

"When I complained that the fan was not working, the hospital people told me to bring a fan from my house," the patient told Manorama News.

The heat in the hospital was unbearable. Out of 12 fans, only 8 were working. The patient said that the hospital authorities asked him to bring a fan from home when he asked to replace the damaged ones due to extreme heat. Then when he brought a fan from home, the authorities told him to pay Rs 50 per day to the hospital. Then the current charge for 2 days was made and the bill was paid.

Hospital Superintendent Nita S Nair said that the incident was noticed and usually the Hospital Development Committee charges for the operation of electrical equipment brought from outside. The superintendent also informed that the money would be refunded based on the complaint.

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