Rupa Devi Rishidev, 18, breathed her last at her parental home in Biratnagar-5, Kharji at five Tuesday morning after Koshi Zonal Hospital and Nobel Hospital refused to treat her for lack of money. [break]Rupa was taken to Koshi Zonal Hospital at two Monday afternoon after she fell ill in the morning. The public hospital said she had to be treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and referred her to Nobel Hospital.
But the private hospital that asked Rs 7,000 in admission fee for ICU and a daily charge of Rs 3,000, refused to admit her as her family could not arrange the amount. “We said that we will pay after selling a lactating cow at our home. But they refused to admit her,” Rupa´s father Chamaru Rishidev said with teary eyes. “We kept waiting at Nobel till 10 in the night and she died seven hours after we brought her home,” he added.
He revealed Rupa was healthy following her delivery at her home in Katahari 15 days ago but suddenly complained of abdominal pain Monday morning. She was taken to Koshi Zonal Hospital in the afternoon but was immediately referred to another hospital.
“The hospital records showed that she was immediately referred to another hospital without any diagnosis,” a hospital staffer claimed. Medical Superintendent at the hospital Umakanta Jha expressed ignorance about the case and reasons for her referral. “I will see what had happened,” Jha stated.
Rupa´s husband Govinda and parents, who eke out their living working as daily wage workers and do not have anything apart from thatched huts built on public land, did not have the amount demanded by Nobel on Monday. “My daughter would have survived if only we had Rs 7,000,” Chamaru rued.
“We requested them to admit her at the moment promising to pay the dues soon but to no avail,” he added. The family is now worried about raising her 15-day son after the loss of mother.
The District Public Health Office (DPHO) said a majority of public health initiatives are meant for new mothers and infants. “Most of our budget is used for programs on safe motherhood, vaccinations, nutrition, pregnancy care and infants,” Chief of DPHO in Morang Navaraj Subba said adding, “Maternal and child health experts are mobilized for free counseling on health of pregnant women and new mothers, and infants.”
The Health Ministry policy regarding private and nongovernmental health institutions require them to provide free medical care to up to 10 percent patients of impoverished background. But private hospitals here are not following the policy.
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