After infant dies in Mumbai, Maha govt orders hospitals to accept cheques

Demonetisation may or may not lead to benefits in the long term, but the immediate effects have been a nightmare for the common public.

While many from the middle- and lower-middle classes are somehow making ends meet in terms of groceries and even medicines, those facing contingencies have nowhere to turn. And this is especially true of medical emergencies.

Hospitals routinely collect cash in advance at the time of admitting a patient. But now, the situation is completely different. Though the government has instructed hospitals to accept old currency notes, even extending the deadline for this to 24 November, many private hospitals are sceptical about accepting them.

Several incidents have been reported across Maharashtra and other states where private hospitals have turned away patients bearing Rs 1000 and Rs 500 currency notes.

In Mumbai, an infant died when a private hospital in Govandi refused to grant admission, as his parents only had old notes. This caused a large-scale uproar, with the behaviour of the hospital administration being condemned by all quarters. However, the hospital denied the allegations.

Maharashtra health minister Dr Deepak Sawant has ordered a probe into the matter. "A case has been registered at the Shivaji Nagar police station in this regard. Though the health department is yet to receive a formal complaint, we have decided to form a state-level committee to probe the matter. The committee would be formed on Monday (14 November) and the report will be submitted to the government within a week," Sawant said.