Hospital in Hyderabad waives off Rs 6.5 lakh bill, hands over coronavirus patient body to kin

Coronavirus in Hyderabad: A private hospital in Hyderabad waived off Rs 6.5 medical bill of a coronavirus patient and handed over the body to the family today after the latter filed a writ petition in the High Court.

The patient's brother, Venkata Swamy approached the High Court after the hospital authorities denied to hand over the body until the bill payment. The family which already paid Rs 2.5 lakh to the treatment had no money left with them to pay remaining Rs 6.5 lakh for nine-day treatment.

According to Venkata Swamy, the victim, Mohan Babu admitted to the hospital on July 13 after testing positive for coronavirus. On Wednesday, the hospital authorities informed the family to pay the remaining amount and collect the dead body, he said.

Mohan Babu's wife Lavanya, a resident of Balanagar said that her husband works as a watchman at a theatre and he had no job after the theatres were closed due to the pandemic. "We borrowed Rs 2.5 lakh from a family member for the treatment and have no money to pay the remaining bill of Rs 6,41,175 and take her husband's body," she said.

With no option left to take the body, Lavanya filed a writ petition in the High Court alleging that the private hospital is not handing over her husband's dead body for not paying the bill.