Pune: Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital decides to not take deposit in emergency cases

Pune: The Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital has decided to not take deposit money from emergency patients. The decision follows the death of a pregnant women, who was reportedly not admitted as she did not deposit Rs 10 lakh for her emergency treatment. There has been outrage from all quarters of society over the alleged inhuman and insensitive approach of the private charity hospital.

Hospital Trustee Dhananjay Kelkar has issued a press release and announced that “Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital will, henceforth, not take deposits from any emergency patient. We feel ashamed to imagine what impact the said incident and protests might have had on the people respecting Deenanath Mangeshkar and Lata Mangeshkar.

“Yesterday was a stupefying and black day in the history of the hospital. Protestors threw small change at the hospital PRO without considering the hospital’s contribution till date. Some women workers vandalised Dr Ghaisas’s hospital. Workers of some outfits blackened the names of Lata Mangeshkar and Deenanath Mangeshkar. This made us hang our heads in shame. God knows what impact it might have had on the people who hold Lata Mangeshkar in high esteem.

“Disappointed by the turn of events, the trustees held a meeting. We have forgotten how some people behaved or how the incident took a political turn and have introspected. It was wrong to blame the unfortunate incident on Deenanath Hospital. Still we are examining if sensitivity was shown by the hospital.

“I told the relatives of the patient to deposit any amount of money they had. Still they went away without intimating anyone. When Deenanath Hospital started, deposits were not taken from patients. However, as the reputation of the hospital grew and complicated cases started arriving, deposits were taken. We reviewed the practice after yesterday’s incident.

“Henceforth, no emergency patient whether from the emergency room or the delivery department or from the paediatric ward, will have to pay a deposit. A resolution to this effect was passed by the Trustees and Management and its implementation will start from today. The truth behind the incident will be revealed in the government report but we have started ending insensitivity following the incident.”