West Bengal: Authorities of Apex Nursing Home threaten poor family with exorbitant bill
A nursing home in Behala was accused of charging a hefty bill on a poor family. The members of the family had to borrow money from neighbours and mortgage their gold jewellery to get the patient discharged. Hospital authorities allegedly threatened the family from taking the patient to another hospital.
FollowKolkata: A nursing home in Behala was accused of charging hefty bills on a poor family. The members of the family had to borrow money from neighbours and mortgage their gold jewellery to get the patient discharged. The incident took place at Apex Nursing Home.
A 25-year-old boy from Usthi in South 24 Parganas consumed poison on Monday (September 21) night and was first taken to a hospital in Diamond Harbour and then was referred to Chittaranjan Hospital. The driver of the ambulance suggested the family take the patient to Behala's Apex Nursing Home for treatment at a low cost.
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The patient was admitted to Apex Nursing Home at 11:45 pm on Monday (September 21). The hospital authorities asked the patient's family to pay Rs 15,000 as admission fee. But the poor family did not have the amount to pay.
Due to the financial crisis, the family members wanted to take away the patient from the nursing home. They requested the authorities to release the patient on Tuesday (September 22).
The family had already borrowed Rs 15,000 for the treatment. As soon as the hospital authorities got to know about the decision to get the patient discharged, they allegedly demanded Rs 56,000 from the family.
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The hospital authorities threatened the family by saying that if they don’t pay Rs 56,000, then the patient will not be released. The family members requested them to discharge the patient because they don’t have any money.
The patient’s family wanted to take the patient to Chittaranjan Hospital.
Meanwhile, the accused hospital told the patient’s family, “We won’t release the patient. If you do anything else, we will kill the patient.”
The patient’s family started panicking after receiving such threats from the hospital. Later, Behala Police arrived at the spot.
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The patient’s family was forced to get the patient discharged by paying Rs 56,000 to the hospital. The family took loans from the neighbours and mortgaged their gold jewellery.
Earlier too, patients’ families have accused the hospital of charging hefty bills several times. However, the hospital authorities have denied any such allegations.
One of the hospital staff said, “We do not take any money from the patient's family for treatment in any way.”
