Noida, India:
For over two hours, a woman in her ninth month of pregnancy pleaded with a hospital in Noida to admit her. But doctors said she first had to provide either Rs 12,000 or the five bottles of blood she'd need because she is anemic.
"We left the hospital in an auto rickshaw. But her labour pains were unbearable," says her mother-in-law, Kusum Rai. "A man driving by in a Maruti offered to take us to a private hospital. On the way, Sangita, who is 22 years old, delivered her son in the car.
Even after that, Sangita couldn't get the medical attention she required. ''I tried to help the family. But she delivered midway. Because of that, even Tripathi Nursing Home refused to admit her,'' says Rajendra Yadav, whose Maruti turned into Sangita's delivery room.
As the news spread, activists gathered around the government hospital in protest. Not only was a poor patient, entitled to free treatment, turned away - she was also asked to pay Rs 12,000 for blood that costs about Rs 7,000.
"The District Magistrate has formed a three-member inquiry committee to look into the matter. The committee will punish those who are guilty,'' said Meena Mishra, Chief Medical Superintendent of the Noida District Hospital.