#WhatTheHealth: Faridabad hospital charges Rs. 18L, but pregnant woman dies
Another case of medical negligence has been reported from the NCR, this time from Faridabad's Asian Hospital. Family members of a 19-year-old woman claim she died due to complications after delivering a stillborn baby due to medical negligence. Moreover, the hospital overcharged and billed them Rs. 18L for a 22-day-stay, they alleged. They have demanded an investigation into the matter.
She was admitted for fever, but died after delivery
Sweta was admitted into Asian for fever. Three days after staying there, doctors diagnosed her with typhoid. She was seven months pregnant. When she started having stomach pains, her family insisted the baby is delivered soon. The doctors initially suggested injections to stop the delivery, but finally operated on her. However, she had a perforated intestine, they said. Both child and mother died.
Hospital levied high charges despite her death, alleges kin
Meanwhile, the hospital was levying absurd charges on them, the family claimed. Initially, they had asked them to deposit Rs. 3L. After they had submitted Rs. 10-12L, they asked for another Rs. 6L, DNA quoted the woman's uncle as saying. They were billed Rs. 18L.
Asian Hospital denies negligence, alleges family wants to skip bills
Asian has denied medical negligence. Doctors said the family had been informed about the seriousness and "bad prognosis for both foetus and mother." Instead, the family was trying to evade payments and "resorted to violence and allegation of negligence," the hospital said. However, Dr. Ramesh Chandna said an inflated food bill wasn't required as "she was being given IV drips and fluids."
Incidents of overcharging, negligence at top hospitals
Recently, Fortis and Medanta in Delhi made headlines with their inflated bills for minor dengue patients; incidentally, both patients involved died. Max's license was cancelled for severe medical negligence: it declared a living newborn dead.
