 |
Kathmandu Wednesday December 12, 2001 Marga 27, 2058.
|
Alluring
advertisements in Indian newspapers attract a large number of innocent
Nepalese to visit India for
medical treatment of serious ailments or higher studies at various educational
institutions. Most of these organisations are registered as charity with local
administration claiming waiver of taxes. But they technically fleece the customers by
charging exorbitant service fees and other overheads.
On reading such an
advertisement, I visited to a clinic run by BSGM Charitable Society at Rishikesh. But I
was charged heavy fees for medical treatment. The advertisement on the web site stated
very clearly that nominal or no fees will be charged to patients sent through social
service organisations or "societies."
I was asked to pay Rs 500 for
registration. My plea that I was from a religious society bore no effect. I paid the
amount with the hope that the doctor would refund or reduce the amount since the clerks at
the resigration desk neither registered my name, nor allowed me to see the doctor.
When I entered the
doctor’s room, no questions were asked about my ailment. I was simply asked to pay Rs
8000. Ultimately, I paid whatever amount I had to him. I was given 3 months’ medicine
with instruction that I would need to pay Rs 3200 for the next 3 months’ supply. Rs
1000/-more than the price charged to an Indian patient because I came from Nepal, a
foreign country.
Now I am in no position to
afford the cost of the medicine over the next several years. The clinic is registered as a
"charitable society", and they clearly state in publications and web site that
they give discounts to patients sponsored by non-profit institutions or organisations.
This is highly regrettable.
Krishna Dev Arya
Nepal Arya Samaj Battisputali, Kathmandu |
