In a shocking development from Haryana’s Sonepat, a woman died after reportedly being denied treatment due to the lack of Aadhaar card. The woman, Shakuntala – the wife of a Kargil martyr – was accompanied by her son to a private hospital on Thursday, 28 December, for treatment.
According to Hindi daily Jagran, the hospital authorities insisted that the Aadhaar card of the patient be submitted for her to get admitted.
The daily further reported that the hospital authorities did not relent despite the patient’s son Pawan showing the copy of the Aadhaar card, including the number, on his mobile phone.
The hospital even called the police when the victim’s son started protesting and apparently raising a hue and cry.
Meanwhile, the hospital authorities categorically refuted all the charges levelled on them by the victim’s son.
According to Dr Divya Saxena, the patient was taken away from the emergency ward by her kin on their own (they reportedly took her to another hospital, but she died on the way).
She asserted that the hospital has to adhere to certain rules and regulations and take care of the paperwork.
Rules specify that we either take the Aadhaar card or the referral to facilitate the patient’s admission, which is what we did.
However, she added that if a patient is in a critical condition, then he/she is admitted immediately and it is ensured that proper treatment is given. (The Quint)
