Bribe taken from patient in Balrampur Hospital for issuing medical certificate
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It is a usual practice in government hospitals to issue medical certificates indicating extent of injuries required to file FIR at police stations in exchange for bribes. In fact for a higher bribe injuries can be shown to be serious so that stronger charges can be brought about against the opponent.
On the other hand if one doesn’t pay a bribe the extent of injury will be shown less because of which proper FIR may not be registered.
On 25th April, 2008 Ram Naresh, s/o Jagannath resident of Village Amrit Kheda, P।S. Mall, Tehsil Malihabad, Dist. Lucknow was admitted to Balrampur Hospital in Lucknow in the evening after suffering injuries in an attack by another villager.
He was asked to deposit Rs. 300 immediately. When he explained the incident he was asked to pay another Rs. 500 in order to issue him an authentic medical report of injuries. He paid Rs. 100 for stitches made on injuries and Rs. 20 later for receiving medicines for his treatment whereas the treatment is supposed to be free for poor patients in government hositals. This is just one incident but every poor person coming to receive medical treatment in government hospitals is charged illegal money by hospital staff.
A complaint has been filed by Ram Naresh with the hospital authorities for the illegal money that was taken from him. After the complaint was filed a ward boy approached him and told him to take his money back from one Chaurasia in Emergency Ward. The money has not been returned so far.
Ram Naresh is admitted in Ward No. 21 on Bed No. 6 of Balrampur Hospital presently. He may be reached through Chunni Lal, 9839422521 or Manish, 9839911648, volunteer of Asha Swasthya Sewa of Asha Parivar who are helping him with his treatment.
Dr Sandeep Pandey
Ph: 0522 2347365, 9415022772
Email: ashaashram@yahoo.com
(The author is the national convener of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), recepient of Ramon Magsaysay Award (2002) for emergent leadership and a noted social activist heading Asha Parivar)
To read this posting in Hindi language, click here
Published in My News, India
