A recovered COVID-19 patient has raised his voice against a private hospital in Mulund, for allegedly charging a hefty price for consumables during his treatment. The hospital gave a bill of R3.47 lakh out of which he claimed, around Rs 80,000 were charged for PPE kits, surgical gloves, N95 masks and face shields. While the hospital later minused R47,000 from the bill, the local MLA, who has complained about it to the BMC, has alleged this is how some private hospitals are fleecing patients.

Rahul Ahire, 30, a resident of Mulund West, is an engineer by profession. He lives with his mother, wife and their toddler. In the beginning of June he started feeling uneasy, and when he went for a COVID test, he tested positive. He was taken to an isolation facility at Mithagar Road, Mulund (E). After undergoing treatment for a couple of days, he decided to shift to Manisha Universal Multi-Speciality, a private hospital in Mulund.

"I arrived at the hospital on June 5 and as my condition deteriorated and oxygen level fell below 85%, I was shifted to the ICU on June 6. I recovered by June 11. After spending five days in the general ward I was discharged after testing negative, on June 16," said Ahire.