Family from Bihar 'imprisoned' by Nepal hospital over payment issues

Family members have reportedly been threatened with grave consequences if the balance payment is not made.

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Santosh Yadav was receiving treatment at a hospital in Nepal. His family had already paid Rs 8 lakhs for his medical care despite limited resources at its disposal. Then came a demand for another Rs 4 lakh. Left with absolutely no money, Santosh's family pleaded on humanitarian grounds but instead of listening to their cries, the hospital authorities reportedly detained many of his family members who have been stranded in the premises for four months now.

This shocking tale was recently revealed by Santosh's wife and brother-in-law who managed to escape from the hospital and return to their home village in Bihar's Katihar.

Santosh's wife - Renu, revealed to the utter shock of villagers in Katihar that her family had already sold all their land and assets to pay Rs 8 lakh for his treatment. Nepal's Golden Hospital allegedly then demanded another Rs 4 lakh to continue treatment and when it wasn't paid, detained several family members of the patient - including his ageing mother. While the treatment itself was stopped, the family members have been kept in a room and in an atrocious condition with little food and water to go by.

The most shocking allegation by Renu though has been that her family members have been threatened that their kidneys and eyes would be taken out if the balance payment is not made. She said that the main in-charge at the hospital made both the demand and the threat, and its is only because of some local staff that she and her brother managed to escape. 

Renu now wants the local administration and Indian authorities to intervene and free her family members, and to also ensure that Santosh gets proper medical care.