Petty change causing big problem for patients
I had to go to five medicine shops before I got my prescribed medication as no one wanted to take the `500 note that I had.
NEW DELHI: Paying hospital bills and finding change for medicines has increased the hardship of patients and their relatives around the Capital in the aftermath of the demonetisation of `500 and `1,000 notes.
Rosemary Shandilya, whose mother is admitted to Gurgaon’s Neelkanth Hospital, said they were forced to use a debit card for every small purchase.
“During my duty hours, my sister is the only one with our mother. Earlier she could have just given cash to a hospital attendant to purchase the medicines and snacks. But, now for every small purchase, she has to run to the shop with the debit card,” she said.
Patients also complained about the difficulties they faced in purchasing medicines. “I had to go to five medicine shops before I got my prescribed medication as no one wanted to take the `500 note that I had,” said Naushad Alam.
Medical shop owners, however, maintained that their hands were tied as the new policy had put them in a lurch too.
“If someone makes payment through a`2,000 note, I do not have enough change to give back. NAUSHAD ALAM
I stood in line for two hours at a bank but couldn’t get any change. We have been requesting our customers to buy something else along with the medicine to make it a round-figure bill,” said Rippon Nath, owner of the Nath Brother Pharmacy in Connaught Place.
To ease the problem, several private hospitals have started accepting demand drafts and cheques. “The day after the currency notes were discontinued, there was a big problem because several people came in with cash. But now most of them bring their cards or write a cheque,” said Dr Anand Bansal, medical director of Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute and Action Cancer Hospital.
A health ministry official, however, said that private hospitals and pharmacies may take a call on whether they want to accept old bills till midnight of November 11 or not.