Hyderabad: Member of Parliament M.A. Khan has lodged a complaint with Union health minister J.P. Nadda against Yashoda Hospitals for conducting unwarranted investigations and over-charging for the treatment of his wife Lateef Unisa Begum. Mr Khan stated that his wife had severe abdominal pain, loose motions and slight temperature because of which he took her to Yashoda Hospitals in Malakpet for treatment on March 18, 2016.
Said Mr Khan, “I gave my Central Government Health Scheme card and identity number to them. After initial examination they stated that she had to be admitted and was subjected to various investigations. Ultrasonography of abdomen and pelvis, X-ray of chest, blood tests, liver function tests, screening for HIV, Hepatitis C virus and antibody tests were conducted. I told the duty doctor to speak to our family physician in Delhi as my wife was allergic to certain drugs. But they didn’t follow that and gave her medicines due to which she developed rashes.”
Angry, Mr Khan insisted that she be discharged immediately. Dr G. Krishna Mohan Reddy, chief consultant, insisted that the patient be kept in the hospital as it would be risky to discharge because her diarrhoea was severe. But Mr Khan refused to relent and paid Rs 25,000 and left with his wife. Mr Khan says, “I have written to the health minister because many patients are being fleeced in the same manner by these private hospitals. Once my wife recovered, I studied their bill and found that Rs 3,000 was the doctor’s fees, '800 emergency ward charges, Rs 4,150 nursing charges and Rs 7,000 for investigations. I had to pay all this money for treatment given for a day. On top of it the discharge summary said that she had loose motions 25 times, while my wife says that it was only six. I demand an inquiry, why should a simple case like diarrhoea be subjected to so many investigations? I demand that the health minister direct the concerned authorities to take action against such practises of hospitals.” Yashoda Hospitals stated that they followed the treatment protocol and the diagnosis was done based on the medical condition of the patient. They also said that the MP did not provide any ID proof of CGHS.
