Hospital ‘detains’ newborn as parents fail to pay bill

In a shocking incident, a private hospital here has detained a newborn as hostage when her parents failed to pay the hospital bill amounting a little over Rs.4,000.

Following media reports, the District Collector ordered an administrative probe into it.

The incident took place in the industrial township of Choudwar where a tribal woman Kabita Kanhar (30) delivered a baby girl on the night of September 9 in Janasevak Nursing Home. Kabita’s husband, a daily wage earner, failed to pay the hospital bill of Rs.4,300. The hospital discharged Kabita on Saturday saying she would get the baby after making the payment .

Reports said when Kabita returned to the hospital on Sunday morning with the money, the hospital authorities feigned ignorance about her baby. However, when reports appeared in the media, DC Nirmal Mishra on Monday ordered the local tehsildar to probe into the matter.

According to reports reaching here, the hospital authorities have now admitted to finding the baby but she had not been handed over to her parents till this report was prepared.