Raipur: Chhattisgarh High Court has issued notice to Ramkrishna Care Hospital Raipur and others for charging exorbitant medical bill for Covid treatment.
Notice was served to Ramkrishna Care Medical Science Pvt. Ltd, Chhattisgarh govt Union government, and Raipur District Administration.
The high court served notice while hearing a writ petition filed in the High Court for charging exorbitant fees from the petitioner for treatment of his mother on Friday. The matter was listed for hearing on July 19.
The petitioner Sanjay Ambastha, in his writ petition under Article 226 stated that his mother was admitted at Ramkrishna Care with mild Covid-19 symptoms on September 22, 2020 and died on hospital bed on October 2, 2020, while undergoing treatment. In the name of treatment, the hospital charged Rs 4,51,469.00. Petitioner mentioned that as the hospital management has charged hefty fees violating the rules and directive set for the Covid treatment he lodged a complaint with the hospital management along with the district and health authorities. Neither the hospital management responded, nor the district administration authorities initiated any action. District health authorities did nothing except issuing notice to the Hospital Administration.
The petitioner has sought relief in the court and said that the amount charged from him were direct violation of Covid standard treatment protocol set by the central government and orders of the state government. He also sought to initiate legal action against Ramkrishna Care Hospital under provisions of Epidemic Disease Act 1897, Chhattisgarh Public Act 1949, Chhattisgarh Epidemic Disease Covid-19 Regulation 2020 and violation of the state and central government orders.
Justice Gautam Bhaduri hearing the case, directed to issue notice to Union and state government, district authorities and Ramkrishna Care Hospital. The notices issued to the state and union government were accepted by the state counsel and assistant solicitor general respectively. The matter was listed for hearing on July 19, 2021.
However, while speaking to FPJ over phone, Dr. Sandeep Dave, Medical Director, Ramkrishna Care Hospital told, “I have not received the copy of the notice yet. As the matter is subjudice, I will put all the details related to the case in the High Court.”
