Bengaluru hospital refused to hand over COVID victim's body over dues, allege kin

After the death of a corona patient at a Bengaluru hospital, the hospital authorities allegedly refused to hand over the patient's body over pending dues. After waiting 28 hours, the family members received the dead body.

Bengaluru: After the kin of a woman, who died due to coronavirus, failed to pay for the treatment which cost Rs 9 lakh, hospital authorities in Bengaluru refused to release the body, the deceased's family member alleged on Friday.

According to sources, the body of the woman, who died of COVID-19, was not handed over to her family members by a private hospital here over pending dues.

The woman was admitted to the hospital on July 13 with high fever and respiratory problems. The hospital took her samples for COVID-19 test and she was found to be infected by the virus.

On Friday, the hospital doctors informed the woman's family members that she had died of coronavirus and the hospital authorities informed them that the total treatment charges were Rs 9 lakh.

"My mother was admitted to the hospital on July 13 and she died on Thursday. After the death of my mother, the hospital authorities informed us that the total treatment charges were Rs 9 lakh and if we will not pay this amount then they will not permit us to take her body," said the victim's son.

"We waited for 28 hours to get the dead body in front of the Manipal Hospital, but the hospital staff denied to hand over the body to us. When Minister Bairathi Basavraj came to the hospital this afternoon, we requested him and asked for help. Later, minister Bairathi ordered the hospital authorities to hand over the dead body," he said.