There was no end to tragedy for a family from Maheshwaram mandal of Rangareddy district as three of their loved ones died after fighting COVID-19.
Six hours after Anreddy Radhesh (21) performed the funeral of his mother Anreddy Sukumari (60) on Tuesday afternoon, he got the news of his father Anreddy Satyanarayana Reddy (60)’s death. Mr. Radhesh’s cousin Anreddy Harishchandra Reddy (36) died on July 23. This even after the family spent over ₹40 lakh for their treatment.
“We paid ₹40 lakh for their treatment and all we got are three dead bodies,” said Harishchandra’s father Anreddy Ram Reddy.
The family alleged that two private hospitals had charged them massive bills for treatment. Mr. Radhesh also had an issue with the Deccan Hospital, Somajiguda, where his father was admitted.
“Despite reminding them, they took more than four hours to change his soiled diapers. The bill for my father’s treatment was ₹17.5 lakh,” he alleged.
However, the hospital management said that the bill was ₹12.04 lakh, out of which they waived off ₹2 lakh.
The family paid around ₹18 lakh for Harishchandra’s treatment in another private hospital.
Satyanarayana and Sukumari got admitted to Deccan Hospital on July 10. They were released on July 13, but when Satyanarayana developed breathlessness, he was again admitted there on July 15. “My mother was admitted to Asian Institute of Gastroenterology on July 17. She developed clots, was in coma for three days, and died on July 27 midnight. The overall bill came to around ₹4 lakh. When I was performing her funeral the next day at around 3 p.m., I received a call from my father who said his diapers were not changed. I did not tell my father about my mother’s death. I immediately called Deccan Hospital requesting for it to be changed,” Mr. Radhesh said.
He said the diaper was changed around 7 p.m. after calling them thrice. “I spoke to my father at around 7.45 p.m., and around 9 p.m., the hospital called me saying that my father’s heart stopped and they were trying to revive him. A few minutes later, I was told he died,” he said.
Mr. Radhesh alleged that the hospital said they would hand over the body if ₹7.5 lakh was paid. “No one should face the problems I have faced,” he tweeted.
MAUD Minister K.T. Rama Rao responded by requesting Health Minister Eatala Rajender to take stringent action against the hospitals.
COO of Deccan Hospital Lilly Saleem said that the bill was ₹12.04 lakh, and denied the allegation that they asked for ₹7.5 lakh to hand over Satyanarayana’s body.
“A total of ₹10 lakh was paid by the family. When Mr. Radhesh spoke about his family’s condition, we waived off ₹2 lakh,” Mrs. Saleem said. She said that diaper was changed in half-an-hour after receiving the call from Radesh around 6 p.m.
She added that they have followed government prescribed charges for COVID-19 treatment. “Monoclonal antibodies, higher end antibiotics and other medicines cost a lot,” she said.
