Punjab State Human Rights Commission took cognizance of the matter.
Jagran correspondent, Mohali. Dainik Jagran had raised this issue prominently on December 15 regarding the arbitrariness of private hospitals, which has now seen a big impact. After the news was published in Dainik Jagran, this matter reached the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, where the Commission considered it serious and took strict cognizance.
The matter pertains to Max Hospital located in Phase-6, Mohali. A person resident of Nabha died during treatment in the hospital. It is alleged that after the death of the patient, when the family members came to collect the body, the hospital management put a condition of depositing the remaining amount of the bill. Due to non-payment of the bill, the body was refused, due to which the family had to suffer a lot of mental torture.
After the news came to light in Dainik Jagran, Punjab State Human Rights Commission heard the case. During the hearing, counsel for Max Hospital and a medical officer from the Civil Surgeon's office appeared. Expressing strong displeasure on this, the Commission asked why the Director of Max Hospital and Civil Surgeon Mohali himself did not attend the hearing?
Commenting, the Commission said that after the death of the patient, the body should have been handed over to the family members immediately. Keeping the dead body by making such a huge bill is a violation of human rights. This is not an ordinary dispute, but a serious matter involving the loss of a person's life, which should have been handled sensitively. Along with this, the Commission questioned the Civil Surgeon Office as to what action has been taken against the hospital so far.
The Commission warned that if a satisfactory response is not received from the Health Department, an FIR can be lodged against the hospital as well as the responsible officials. The next hearing of the case has been fixed for January 20. The Commission has directed that the Director of Max Hospital and Civil Surgeon Mohali should be present himself on the next date.