ARIYALUR: Ever since the Ariyalur Medical College Hospital was inaugurated in January this year, it is seeing an average footfall of 2,000 patients a day. When a majority of the crowd is those who can’t afford private healthcare, they allege that they are forced to shell out Rs 50 towards the outpatient (OP) slip before availing of institutional services.
M Kumar, an attendant to his uncle who was admitted to the hospital, recounts his experience. “On Tuesday, my uncle suffered a heart attack while toiling in a sugarcane field at Kovilpalayam village. We immediately rushed him to Ariyalur Medical College Hospital by ‘108’ ambulance. The nurses asked us for an OP slip to admit him to the emergency ward. When I went to collect it, the hospital staff demanded a bribe of Rs 50 for the slip. When I asked, she said that everyone must pay for it. Then I handed over the amount and got the slip, and admitted my uncle. She did not give a receipt for the payment made," he said.
"Later, when I enquired, it was revealed that they (hospital staff) demanded the bribe of Rs 50 from all outpatients. We approach the government hospital owing to not having the means to go to a private hospital. The district administration should inspect and take action,” he added.
R Sankar, a resident of Ariyalur, said, "After the opening of the medical college hospital, many come in the hope of getting better treatment. It is from this crowd that the staff are collecting bribes of Rs 50 to Rs 100. This is reprehensible." The staff cleverly hide the money collected in their notebooks. Many patients suffer when not being in a position to give it, he added.
When contacted, a senior official at the hospital said, "We have taken several steps to prevent such incidents. The issue brought to notice took place without our knowledge. We will take steps to prevent it from happening again."