LUCKNOW: A private hospital in Lucknow had to return overcharged fees to the family of a patient after the intervention of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.
Ram Pyari Devi, 54, of Gonda district had come to King George Medical University (KGMU) here on March 24 for treatment after severe pain in the abdomen.
The woman could not get admitted to KGMU and was allegedly lured to a private hospital by some agents.
Her son Dileep said the hospital initially asked for Rs 35,000 for a gall bladder surgery but later demanded Rs 45,000 more.
"When we intimated the hospital management that we are unable to pay Rs 45,000 the hospital staff stopped the treatment of my mother midway and even refused to discharge her from the hospital," he said.
Dileep then shared his plight with a social worker, Mamta Tripathi, who wrote about the matter on social media.
The social media post came in the notice of Deputy CM Pathak who directed officials to look into the matter.
"I received a call from the office of Brajesh Pathak asking for details about Dileep and his mother which I shared with them," Tripathi said.
Acting on the directions of Pathak, who also holds health portfolio, the office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) contacted the management of the private hospital and asked it to return the excess fee charged from the family and discharge the woman.
"The hospital administration returned Rs 20,000 to us and discharged my mother on Tuesday. We have now decided to admit her in another hospital," Dileep said.