Pay Rs 11 lakh to get son’s body, Tiruchy hosp tells couple

TIRUCHY: In yet another case of patient-hospital dispute over payment of charges, a private hospital in Tiruchy allegedly refused to hand over the body of a seven-year-old boy, who was admitted for kidney ailment and died during the treatment, as the parents of the victim, native of Tiruvarur district, failed to pay a sum of Rs 11 lakh.

Following this, the parents approached the Collector for help, but the hospital administration said that they were ready for negotiations. Sources said, Yuvanesh (7), son of Veerappan-Anitha couple from Naranamangalam near Kudavasal in Tiruvarur district, was suffering from a chronic kidney disease and was admitted to the Tiruvarur Medical College Hospital on September 10. Since the condition of the boy deteriorated, he was referred to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital. However, Yuvanesh’s father Veerappan, an agricultural coolie, admitted his son to a private hospital in Tiruchy on September 11, where he was under treatment for 53 days. According to the parents, they had pooled money from friends and pledged the house and sold their land and paid a fee of Rs 9 lakh. Last week, the hospital demanded another Rs 2 lakh and we told them that we would take our son to a government hospital. But, the hospital refused to discharge Yuvanesh, the parents added. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Yuvanesh died and when the parents approached the hospital to get the body, they were given an additional treatment bill for Rs 11 lakh for releasing the body.

“We repeatedly prayed to the hospital administration to give back the boy, but they were firm in collecting Rs 11 lakh from us. With no other option, we tried to meet Tiruvarur Collector to seek help. Since the Collector was not present at the office, we submitted a petition to Collector’s PA Punniyakotti,” Anitha, mother of Yuvanesh said.

When DT Next contacted the hospital administration, a senior official, requesting anonymity, said that the parents had not approached them for any negotiation. “Soon after looking at the bill, they were agitated and rushed to the Collectorate without informing us. When contacted, the parents told us that they were in Tiruvarur Collectorate. The hospital is still waiting for them to have a negotiation,” the official added.