Milking a Patient Hard!
A 46-year old patient, Mr. Khaja Hasanuddin was admitted to Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad. He was diagnosed SEVERE COVID-19, ARDS. He was treated in ICU and then shifted to Semi Private Ward. His consultant was Dr. Rajib Paul. After six days of treatment he was handed over a bill amounting to Rs. 22,90,000/-! Yes, your read correctly; it’s twenty-two lakh ninety thousand only. Breakup of this amount is: For Accommodation Rs. 4,20,000/- was charged; Investigations amounted to Rs. 4,90,000/-; Medicines & Consumables were priced at Rs. 11,50,000/-; Equipments cost Rs. 1,40,000/- and Professional Charges came at Rs. 90,000/-. The cost of six days treatment was Rs. 22,90,000/-. This is nothing less than ‘organised loot’ in the name of quality medical treatment.
And such hospitals are so diabolically cunning that they raise the ‘Bill’ as ‘Estimate’! This is the saga of our healthcare system, which is falling apart and no one is there to hold.
Hasan Pasha
Hyderabad, Telangana
The Law and Order Situation
The law and order situation in the country is in a very precarious condition. And the powers-that-be are busy in playing their own game. I don’t know when they will come to know that it is very dangerous for the health of the nation.
The Supreme Court has posed tough questions to the CBI, forcing the agency to withdraw its plea challenging the Calcutta high court’s decision to put four Narada scam chargesheeted TMC leaders under house-arrest. It also questioned the “partial approach” of the bureau in arresting a set of persons named in the FIR while sparing another set of TMC leaders who have now defected to BJP.
Interestingly, CJI N.V. Ramana reportedly cited a rule during a three-member panel meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi on May 24 to select a new director for the CBI that ruled out two names being considered by the government for the post. This new rule eliminated the names of Rakesh Asthana, the BSF chief retiring on August 31, and NIA chief Y.C. Modi, retiring on May 31, and from the remaining three candidates former Maharashtra DGP Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, a 1985-batch IPS officer of Maharashtra cadre, has been appointed CBI Chief.
Subodh Kant
Howrah, W.B.
Cut GST Rates on Covid Essentials
Ahead of the meeting of the GST Council, Congress-ruled Punjab has demanded a cut in tax rate on life-saving items for COVID-19 treatment. In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who heads the GST Council that also comprises representatives of all states and union territories, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreeet Singh Badal sought drastic cut on GST rates on Covid essentials. In the six-page letter dated May 24, Badal said many goods, including protective garments, digital thermometer, laboratory sanitisers/disinfectants and paper bed sheets, which are needed to fight the pandemic, attract a basic customs duty of 20% and a GST of up to 18%. On top of that, a 10% social welfare surcharge is levied on such items.
As we are a welfare country, this is high time that GST on the items used for the treatment of Covid patients is waived.
Tariq Fazal
New Delhi
May Allah Bless Shahid Abrar
While Tahriki Halqa was feeling hard to overcome somehow the great loss of a mukhlis khadim e tahrik Abul Arif sahab, it got another jolt in the sudden demise of the young and dynamic rafique, Shahid Abrar (son-in-law of Late Abul Arif sahab). Former president of SIO, Jharkhand, Abrar sahib was a rukn and recently selected member of Majlise Shura of Jamshedpur chapter, JIH. The very demise left all the ahbab speechless before anyone, with hands raised before Allah, asking a great reward for Br Shahid.
His easy interaction with fellow people with smiling face is not easy to forget. He was capable of discharging the task given by the organisation in a comfortable way. This rare quality is a gift by Allah. This young talent also had a potential of leadership for future times, but perhaps it was not to be.
May Allah give him high reward in the Paradise.
Rizwanul Haque
Jamshedpur, Jharkhand