Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Sep 21: A hospital here refused to hand over the body of a youth who failed to respond to treatment and breathed his last at the said hospital, because of pending bill. The hospital management insisted on full payment of bill for handing over the mortal remains. Activists of an organization, who came to know about the incident, intervened in the matter and held discussions with the hospital concerned, and succeeded in getting conditional release of the body by the hospital to the relatives.

Rasheel Salian (25), son of Ramakrishna from Attavar, who was suffering from pneumonia, had been admitted into a private hospital in the city. Treatments given at the hospital could not improve his condition. He passed away on September 18, as per information.

In the meanwhile, the hospital bill had mounted to eight lac rupees. Ramakrishna could put together only two lac rupees and had requested the hospital to release the body of his son, duly promising to clear off the balance dues in a few days. But the hospital management stood its ground, insisting on full payment of the bill before the mortal remains could be handed over to the family. The body of the youth therefore remained in the hospital for three days.

Volunteers of 'Yuva Vahini' organization, led by activist, Sunil Kumar Bajal, visited the hospital and held discussion with the hospital. The hospital thereafter relented and agreed to release the body with the condition that balance dues should be paid within a month.