Telangana doc who tested Covid-19 positive, accuses Pvt hosp of detaining her for not paying bill

PTI, Jul 5, 2020, 5:02 PM IST

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Hyderabad: A middle-aged woman doctor, who had tested COVID-19 positive, has alleged that she was detained by private hospital management here over non-payment of the medical bill.

In a selfie-video which has gone viral in the social media, the civil assistant surgeon of a state-run Fever Hospital is purportedly seen accusing the private hospital of overcharging by making a bill of Rs 1.15 lakh for a day’s treatment.

Besides, she claimed that she was not given proper medication and not discharging her.

In the video, the doctor said that after testing positive for coronavirus she has been treating herself at her house and as under home quarantine.

On the midnight of July 1, she said she experienced shortness of breath and got herself admitted to the private hospital.

“I am a COVID-19 warrior. For one day, they charged me Rs 1.15 lakh. I could not pay so much. I am a diabetic and I’m not getting proper medication here. They are making baseless allegations. I am in trouble. I paid Rs 40,000, but they detained me,” the woman claimed in the video.

She further said she had also filed a police complaint against the private hospital in connection with the incident.

However, it was not clear whether the woman shot the selfie-video at the private hospital, which has denied her allegations.

Reacting to the video, Fever Hospital Superintendent Dr. K Shankar said the woman doctor had tested positive for the virus four days ago and has been under home quarantine.

“She was told that the government has made all arrangements for proper treatment of frontline COVID-19 warriors, but without informing higher officials she herself got admitted to the private hospital,” Shankar told PTI.

It was only after local TV channels aired the self- video of the woman on Sunday that Shanker said he came to know about the matter. Immediately, he asked the Resident Medical Officer to visit the private hospital, sort out the payment issue, and get her discharged.

Upon reaching the hospital, it came to be known that she had already got discharged and is under home isolation now, and her condition is stable.

“She had been on outpatient general duty at Fever hospital and she did not get infected by COVID-19 at the hospital,” the Superintendent added.