A woman who was battling kidney failure became a latest victim of demonetisation as she died in a government hospital in Bihar after the hospital staff refused to accept payments in old notes for dialysis on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi while announcing demonetisation of high denomination notes on November 8, had said that the government hospitals and their pharmacies would continue to accept old notes till November 24.
Manju Devi was brought to Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College Hospital (ANMMCH) in Gaya, last week due to pregnancy complications. Notably, her husband Gora Manjhi is a daily wager. Manju suffered a miscarriage and doctors found her kidneys had failed, said hospital superintendent Dr Sudhir Kumar Sinha.
Consequently, the doctors prescribed dialysis on Wednesday.
“When the patient’s attendants went to the centre on our hospital campus to make the booking for dialysis, it refused to accept demonetised currency notes,” said Dr Sinha.
The dialysis centre is regulated in association with B Braun Medical India. The doctor said he also sent a letter that mentioned the note-ban exemption for government facilities when woman’s family informed him about the issue.
Still, the dialysis centre allegedly refused accepting old notes as they waited for a nod from their head office. The delay however cost Devi’s life.
Now, a notice was sent to the firm seeking dismissal of the staff who refused to take old currencies.
Braun Medical India’s assistant however said, it has nothing to do with the death of the woman. She was not even brought to the centre and only her attendants came to make some inquires, he added.
