NEW DELHI: On Wednesday The Delhi high court directed the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) to treat a poor man who could not afford to bear the costs of liver transplant.
Justice Rajiv Shakdher also asked the hospital, which comes under the Delhi government, to file a status report in the matter. The court ordered them to admit the patient first and file a status report on July 25 adding that the patient should be immediately shifted to ILBS from wherever the patient was currently admitted to the ICU.
Birender Kumar, the patients had claimed that he was suffering from acute liver failure and ILBS refused to provide him free treatment and HC heard his plea. Advocate Ashok Agarwal, who appearing for Kumar, informed the court that the hospital was asking for money to conduct the treatment even though patient must be treated under the Economically Weaker Section category as he is poor and could not afford the cost of the treatment.
The man claimed he was initially getting treatment at Vellore and later admitted to ILBS on April 6. Kumar being of an economically weaker background sold everything and he had paid around Rs 2 lakh in the hospital by April 22. but the hospital administration coaxed him to deposit Rs 15 lakh for the liver transplant when he expressed inability to pay they told them to leave.
He was then taken to another hospital where he was admitted under EWS category because he his condition is critical and he has been advised to undergo transplant as early as possible.
