After German bakery blast, politicians in power told private hospitals government would foot treatment bills of victims; 10 months on, hospitals still to see the money
After German bakery blast, politicians in power told private hospitals government would foot treatment bills of victims; 10 months on, hospitals still to see the money
It has been 303 days since the German Bakery blast and six private hospitals that treated the injured are still to be paid Rs 79 lakh by the government.
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| Waiting for its dues: At least 13 patients were treated at the Jehangir hospital. File pic |
After the February 13 blast at the popular joint in Koregaon Park, 49 injured people were admitted to various hospitals. A vast majority of these admissions were in private hospitals.
Ashok Chavan, the then chief minister, had rushed to announce that all blast victims would be treated free of cost at private hospitals, and the bill would be paid by the state government.
Soon after, the then additional chief secretary (relief and rehabilitation) M Rameshkumar went a step further, stating that besides medical expenses the government had decided to bear the cost of hearing aids and artificial limbs as well if patients needed these.
While these political statements served the purpose of grabbing headline space, the promises have remained only on paper. Ten months after the blast, private hospitals that treated the victims for free after assurances from political leaders that bills would be paid by the government are yet to see the money due to them.
At Inlaks Budhrani hospital ufffd 16 patients were rushed there for treatment, of which three died ufffd the bill has
run up to Rs 34.71 lakh.
No payment has been received so far.
"We communicate almost on a weekly basis with the district collectorate, which is supposed to release the funds. But the collectorate hasn't given us any reply on this issue," said Dr Asha Rewlani, medical superintendent, Inlaks Budhrani hospital.
The second highest bill is of Jehangir hospital, where 13 patients were treated. The bill came to Rs 28.08 lakh.
At Ruby Hall Clinic, Rs 7.23 lakh is pending in bills towards the treatment of six blast victims.
"Initially, we had decided not to charge anything for treating these patients. But later the government requested us to send the bills, and we sent them a bill of Rs 7.23 lakh," said Bomi Bhote, CEO, Ruby Hall Clinic.
"We have no clue when the money will come."
The other hospitals are KEM hospital, which treated four patients and is waiting for Rs 5.84 lakh, Sancheti hospital, which had two patients and needs to be paid Rs 2.15 lakh, and Surya hospital, which treated two patients and has claimed Rs 1 lakh.
Hospital administrations now seem to have given up hope. "Every time there is a natural calamity, these netas come and make tall claims and go away. We are the ones who bear the brunt of it all later. We don't expect to get any payment," said an administrator at one of the hospitals that treated blast victims. "The worst part is that even after doing all this, the public curses private hospitals for being selfish. The public doesn't see our losses or think how we are to keep functioning if this continues."
