A serious case of alleged extortion in the name of medical treatment has surfaced at The Popular Hospital in the Mau district of Uttar Pradesh. Following complaints of exorbitant billing, the local health department has initiated strict punitive actions against the facility. The hospital management allegedly issued a bill of Rs 55,000 for just four hours of treatment. Upon receiving notice of the administration's impending investigation, the operator locked the premises and fled the scene.
The incident took place at The Popular Hospital located in the Bhiti Bazar area of Mau. A family from Ballia had brought their daughter, who was suffering from food poisoning, to the facility. After being referred from the District Hospital in Ballia, the family was influenced by a private ambulance driver who promised better treatment at The Popular Hospital, leading them to admit the patient there instead.
Immediate Demands for Advance Payment
Family members reported that at the time of admission, the hospital management demanded an advance of Rs 10,000. Furthermore, an additional Rs 2,700 was collected under the guise of laboratory tests and blood sampling. The situation escalated drastically when, after only four hours, the hospital management presented a total bill amounting to Rs 55,000. It is alleged that the staff refused to discharge the patient or allow the family to leave until the full amount was paid.
Intervention by the Chief Medical Officer
Upon being informed of the situation, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pankaj Kumar Rai intervened immediately. He dispatched a health department team to the hospital site. Although the management initially resisted discharging the patient, the sustained pressure from the health department forced them to release the patient without charging any additional fees.
Operations Without Valid Registration
As the health department prepared to seal the hospital, the operator abandoned the facility and disappeared. Subsequent investigations revealed that the hospital was operating out of a rented building without any valid registration or compliance with basic medical standards. The building owner has provided a written commitment to the health department, pledging to vacate the hospital from the premises within the next two days.
History of Illicit Operations
According to Dr. Pankaj Kumar Rai, this same hospital previously operated under the name Apex and had been sealed in the past for similar violations. After rebranding, the facility resumed operations illegally. Dr. Rai stated that since he took charge in Mau, this marks the 10th illegal hospital against which the department has taken action. He affirmed that the district administration will not allow any unregistered hospital to function and that the campaign against such institutions will continue unabated.
