Effect of demonetisation: Patient’s family paid coins of 40,000 to the hospital: effect of demonetisation
Instant decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s of demonetisation of note of 500 and 1000 had an instant effect all over the India.
People were panic as this decision of demonetisation left them totally confused. On Thursday, the family of a 35year-old dengue patient paid back a city private hospital in their own coins, literally.
On Wednesday, BP Poddar Hospital and Research Centre located in New Alipore told Sukanta Chhaule’s (patient) relatives to immediately arrange Rs 40,000 for his discharge the next day.
This created tension among Chhaule’s family as they didn’t have card nor enough money to pay the bills of hospital after the demonetisation of 500 and 1000 notes.
Family requested hospital to accept old notes but they refused even they were not ready to accept the cheque offered by the family. The Chhaules then opt for a second option they sent frantic messages over WhatsApp groups to friends, relatives and neighbours for loose change.The response was overwhelming.
They were flooded with coins. Yes lots of people came up to help them. By 3 am, they had collected the bill amount of Rs 40,000.On Thursday morning, they wrapped the coins in cellophane packets and bundled these inside a big jute bag and arrived at the hospital gate.
Hospital refused to accept it
Hospital authorities were not ready to accept the coins as it was huge and rather they demanded for demand draft, this caused a rage among family members and they threatened to lodge a police complaint.
Now, it was the hospital’s turn to count the coins. It took six staff members three hours to do the job.Sukanta was released at 3 pm. Snehashish, the patient’s brother, was quoted saying that “We had pleaded with the hospital authorities to accept the old notes or a cheque. But they refused. So we thought about collecting the coins, which, we knew would be difficult but not impossible.”
Relatives help
The time they send messages on Whatsapp to their relatives and friends they said they were flooded with the help.
They received the coins even people were taking money out from the children piggy bank just to help them. Patient’s brother told that even cameraman who was recording all this was hurt by hospital security guards and now he is in hospital as he suffered from head injury.
Several other private hospitals, however, showed a more patient-friendly face. Apollo Gleneagles, Fortis and Medica Superspecialty accepted cheques even at discharge.
