Demonetization, hospitals refuse to accept old Rs 500 and 1000 notes

Demonetization, hospitals refuse to accept old Rs 500 and 1000 notes

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Nov 19, 2016: Reports indicate that  demonetization drive is still creating trouble in the healthcare sector. Even as people are struggling to exchange their Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, many hospitals in Mangaluru are refusing to accept the demonetized currency.  

A private hospital in the city not only rejected the demonetized currency, but also has given in writing that they will not accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Members of the  DYFI,Democratic Youth Federation of India,  held protest and took the management of Colaco Hospital into task for not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 on Thursday. Later, the hospital accepted cheques from the patients.

DYFI Dakshina Kannada district unit secretary Santhosh Bajal told media that the hospital refused to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from a patient who was supposed to get discharged on Nov 15. 

"The patient’s relatives were prepared to pay the bill of Rs 42,000 in demonetized currency, the hospital did not accept. They have given in writing that the hospital will not accept old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. The letter addressed to ’whomsoever it may concern’ reads, ’As per the directions of the RBI & the Govt of India, ministry of finance, we do not accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes which have been demonetized.’ However, later the hospital agreed to accept cheque as payment.

Similar instances were reported in other private hospitals in the city too," Santhosh said.  District health and family welfare officer (DHO) Ramakrishna Rao has expressed his helplessness when the matter was brought to his notice, Santhosh said.

In fact, health minister K R Ramesh Kumar had warned private hospitals  against inconveniencing people by refusing to accept demonetized currency. He had said a strict directive will be issued to hospitals not complying with the government’s instruction to accept banned notes.