Patients were forced to suffer under the hands of Tata Main Hospital (TMH) management as they refused to accept currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denominations from patients since past midnight.
The impact of the Union government's move was visible at the Tata Main Hospital- a leading health centre in the city- where the hospital management put up a notice declaring that payment through Rs 1000 or Rs 500 currency notes will not be accepted, leading the patients or their guardians either to pay the medical bills through the debit cards or return back.
Peeved over the attitude of the management, several people created ruckus as the staff at the cash counter refused to accept the banned currencies.
Though the patients who were wards or kin of the company employees were at ease, but those belonging from non company section were left to suffer. Patients coming from rural pockets as far away as Purulia and Potka were forced to curse the situation.
"My wife was suffering from high fever from past five days. Though I was supposed to get her discharged from the hospital and yesterday only I had withdrawn Rs 15,000, almost all in Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denomination, but while paying bill, I was asked they accept payment only through the debit card or payment through Rs 100 notes. As a result of which I had to return home for bringing the debit card for making the payment," said PK Jha, a resident of Dimna Road in Mango.
Rani Kumari who had come to get her mother discharged by making a bill of Rs 10,000 paid returned home disappointed.
"I think the situation is pity here. Atleast the hospital must understand our situation. My mother was supposed to be discharge from the hospital in the forenoon. I was asked to pay either through Rs 100 notes or debit card. Neither I have so many notes of Rs 100 nor the debit card. I am going back home to look for some relatives who will make the payment through the debit card for us," said Kumari.
Several instances like that of PK Jha, Rani Kumari at the Tata Main Hospital cash counter throughout the day today, some of them protesting on being refused to pay the bills.
“Yes we are not accepting the banned currency notes from midnight. Payment through the notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 is acceptable only in the government-run hospitals.
But we are admitting the emergency patients as well as the cases of child delivery without taking any advance deposits," said DP Samaddar, chief of medical services, Tata Main Hospital.
Similarly BNMH at Tamulia in Mango areas also did not accept the banned currency notes. An official of the hospital also informed that they are not even accepting the Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes for the emergency patients.
On the other hand the situation at the MGM Medical College Hospital was different. Though the medical college hospital provides free medical services, charges are made for taking X-Ray and CT Scan. Rs 1000 is charged for the CT Scan and Rs 80 is charged for an X-Ray at the medical college hospital.