Delhi hospital charging hefty fees, claim kin of COVID-19 patients

An incident was reported from NKS Super Specialty Hospital in Delhi where family members of COVID patients accused the facility of charging hefty money for the treatment. They also alleged that they are given a long list of medicines daily, which are compulsory to be purchased from the chemist shop of the hospital itself.

New Delhi: The COVID-19 cases continue to wreak havoc nationwide and medical infrastructure is already overwhelmed owing to the rise in cases and fatalities. Amid these testing times, several private hospitals are allegedly milking the crisis by overcharging patients.

On Sunday, a similar incident was reported from NKS Super Specialty Hospital in Delhi where family members of COVID patients accused the facility of charging hefty money for the treatment.

Nidhi Goyal, whose parents are admitted to the hospital, said that they were asked to pay Rs 10 lakh for the treatment out of which she has already purchased medicines of Rs 5 lakh.

"My parents are admitted in the ICU. I have already purchased prescribed medicines of Rs 5 lakhs and still have no idea when they will be discharged," she narrated her ordeal.

Not only this, according to the protocol of the hospital, they are given a long list of medicines daily, which are compulsory to be purchased from the chemist shop of the hospital, she said.

Goyal, who has already spent Rs 15 lakhs in the treatment of her parents, finding it difficult to bear the expenses now, hence, she urged the Delhi government to help her out.

The other family members present there had the same issue and they told ETV Bharat that doctors here do not give any solid assurance about the condition of patients but they do not forget to hand over the long list of medicines and bills of millions.

It is pertinent to mention here that ETV Bharat tried seeking a response from the hospital authorities but to no avail.

India is witnessing a second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. So far, the country has recorded over 2.22 crore confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 2,42,362 deaths. A total of 1,83,17,404 people have recuperated from COVID-19 so far. There are 37,36,648 active cases in the country as of date, which comprises 16.76 per cent of the total caseload, the health ministry data stated.