After public outcry, Kamineni hospital in Hyderabad withdraws ICU visitor fee

Hyderabad: Sometimes, public intervention on social media pays off. Following a complaint filed by Uday Naik, a concerned citizen, who paid Rs 200 at a private hospital in LB Nagar, the hospital authorities have agreed to repay the visitor fees.

In their notice pasted outside the ICU, Kamineni hospital in LB Nagar had specified that visitors to the ICU were supposed to pay Rs 200, which will be added to the main bill. Bizarre as it may seem to pay for a visit, the practice had been going on for a while until the complainant brought it to public notice on Twitter.

“Kamineni hospital at LB Nagar is collecting money and playing with people’s emotion. To visit ICU, we have to pay Rs 200 per person for less than 10 minutes visit. Is this legal?” Uday tweeted on November 7.

Following this, LB Nagar police station had launched an enquiry. Soon after, the hospital authorities had agreed to do away with the visitor’s fees and refund it as soon as possible. “Concerned hospital authorities have spoken to us about the issue. They agreed to repay the visitor’s fee. Thank you, everyone. Much appreciated,” Uday tweeted.

Sai Teja, from Forum Against Corruption, says, “Only a few visitors are allowed in the ICU because it may create problems to the patient and the visitor. Keeping that in mind, hospital authorities are unnecessarily taking money for this visit. It can be charged under IPC 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property).”

Netizens accuse many private hospitals of banking on people’s emotions at hospitals. “Not just Kamineni hospital, but many such hospitals are playing with people and cashing on their emotions. In the name of good treatment, they are looting money. There should be a vigilance team to look into these unethical things every month,” tweeted another citizen.