When Robert (name changed), a patient with stage III cancer, came from Kenya to Bengaluru for treatment, he had not counted on standing in an ATM queue for cash as part of the treatment plan. Demonetisation has hit foreign patients — who arrived in the city for treatment — hard. Without access to local banks or working credit cards, many patients from foreign countries are struggling to pay for medical and daily expenses since the demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes early this month.
Medical tourism facilitators reported that many patients were unprepared for the situation, and some were asked by hospitals to delay the date of admission. “One hospital did not admit a cardiac patient from Oman until five days later, until which he had to stay in a hotel,” said an agent who did not want to be named. “Some patients had not activated international withdrawals on their credit cards and the weekend immediately after put them in a panic-like situation,” he added.
Mr. Robert, who is in the city with his wife, said that he had faced difficulties since November 9. “We got some money for expenses converted by officials at the hospital ... But a few days back the money ran out ... So I went to the ATM and stood in queue,” he added. Another patient from Kenya, Rono, who will be in Bengaluru for three weeks before being admitted for another surgery, said that hospital staff were helping him with money for daily expenses.
“Patients who encashed money a few days prior as the treatment was about to start were the worst hit,” said Prashant, who is a medical tourism facilitator. “Many do not have family or friends in India. We have tried to help them by exchanging money, but it’s difficult for us as well,” he added.
“In case treatment costs exceed the package costs, patients face a problem as they have no local accounts. In two cases, we took undertakings from patients that they would pay the money upon returning to their home country, which they did,” said Manish Mattoo, zonal director, Fortis Hospitals.
