It's a frightening reality in our country, if you want medical help even if you are dying and in desperate need, you may be required to pay first.
That's clearly against the law, but according to reports the law wasn't good enough for a leading Chennai hospital to deny a five-year-old rape victim full fledged medical assistance.
Following NDTV's report the Tamil Nadu government has asked the private hospital for an explanation.
All of five and scarred for life, that's the fate of a migrant labourer's five-year-old daughter. On Sunday morning, he found her lying badly bruised in a mango grove near a construction site along Chennai's IT corridor.
"Turned away at Chettinad Hospital, we brought her to the Baby Hospital," said R Mohan, victim's father.
The Supreme Court guideline is clear - "Medical Attention First, Legal Formalities and payments later."
Although the five-year-old rape victim was profusely bleeding and her life was in danger, a corporate super specialty hospital refused to admit her. She was tossed around and finally landed at the government children's hospital almost an hour and a half away.
"Because there was no paediatric surgeon, the baby was referred to the ICH. First aid was given," said Leelavathi, PRO, Chettinad Hospital over phone.
Following NDTV's report, Tamil Nadu's Health Secretary has asked Chettinad Hospital for an explanation.
"They say since it involved semen analysis, they felt that the Forensic Lab may not accept their handling of the case," said V K Subburaj, Health Secretary, Tamil Nadu.
NDTV: Is that correct, Sir?
"That's what they say. But if any private hospital turns away emergency cases because of inability to pay, it is inhuman. We will monitor this," said V K Subburaj.
The insensitivity is just one part of the story. Activists say both the police and medical staff are ill-equipped to handle child rape cases. For instance, this much publicised rape kit - a manual to collect medical evidence is seldom used.
Despite several representations, child rape victims are not administered anaesthesia before clinical examination.
"I know of cases of child rape where the nurses have washed the child clean before the doctor arrives. Thinking that they are removing all the mud and grime, they don't realise how they are destroying evidence," said Vidya Reddy, Director, TULIR.
The Kelambakkam Police has made no arrests so far. Officials claim to have collected DNA swabs from the victim and are in the process of matching samples with those of a few suspects.
