Bengaluru private hospital holds Covid victim’s body over dues

Maqbool Jaan (70), who comes from a poor family, had tested positive for Covid-19 in May. However, after a long fight, she died on Friday night at a private hospital in Bengaluru.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

BENGALURU: Maqbool Jaan (70), who comes from a poor family, had tested positive for Covid-19 in May. However, after a long fight, she died on Friday night at a private hospital in Bengaluru. But despite a government circular against withholding bodies of victims, the hospital allegedly did not release her body, asking the family to clear bills first.

Jaan, a resident of Kuppuswamy Layout in Nagawara, was admitted on May 19 at Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, initially in the isolation ward with oxygen, and then moved to the ICU under government quota. However, after she died, the hospital reportedly did not allow her family to take the body and asked them to clear a part of the bill for pharmacy consumables not covered under the Ayushman Bharak-Arogya Karnataka scheme.

The total bill was Rs 3,67,753 but the hospital asked them to pay Rs 1,30,253 for consumables and other tests and told them that only then they will be allowed to take the body. As the family is poor, and Jaan’s son handicapped without a job, they could not clear the dues.

Volunteers from the emergency response team and BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta were alerted about the incident and the official in charge was told to follow up with the case. The body was released after about five hours once the officials intervened.

Mohammad Mohsin, IAS officer, who followed up the case, said, “ The patient was admitted under SAST quota. The hospital had charged them bills stating some of the drugs used for bacterial infection were not cover under SAST. We went ahead and got the body relieved. No hospital can hold any body even if bills are not cleared. I have escalated the matter to BBMP joint commissioner of the particular zone who will further take this case seriously.”

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