Umesh Prasad Shah Kanu, Birgunj Metropolitan City-14, Sripur, was taken to L.N. Neuro and General Hospital for medical treatment following a head injury sustained in a motorcycle accident. The hospital withheld the deceased’s body for two days due to unpaid medical bills.
He was hit by a motorcycle near Sirsia Khola bridge on Hulaki road from Birgunj Power House to Sukkha Port on 18 June 2023. He lost his life during the treatment.
The family members accused that the hospital didn’t handle the deceased’s body until September 17 even though the hospital declared Umesh dead on September 15 at 2 a.m. during the treatment process.
Inspector Deepak Bohora, Area Police Office, Prasauni said that the police were mobilized to control the situation when the relatives of the deceased went to the hospital to collect the body on September 17 and the hospital refused to hand over the body until the treatment and medical expenses were paid.
Ram Pravesh Prasad Kurmi, Director, LN Neuro and General Hospital stated that the medical expenses of the deceased were 3 lakhs and 12 lakhs for treatment altogether 15 lakhs was not paid, due to which the dead body had to be stopped because of unpaid bills.
On September 18, a meeting was convened involving Sundar Prasad Kurmi, UML District Secretary; Ram Chhetri, Chairman of Parwanipur Rural Municipality; L.N. Neuro and General Hospital Management Committee; the deceased’s family; the hospital administration; the individual who was hit by a motorcycle; and the Area Police Office Prasouni. During this meeting, it was disclosed that the medical expenses amounted to NPR 285,000, while the overall treatment costs reached NPR 1,200,000, resulting in a total of NPR 1,485,000. The family of the deceased promptly paid NPR 90,000 to the hospital and agreed to settle the remaining amount later through a mutually agreed-upon arrangement involving all three parties, as per the Area Police Office in Prasuni.
Inspector Bohora stated that the body was sent to the Provincial Hospital Kalaiya for post-mortem examination after it was handed over to the family at 2 PM on the same day.