Kolkata: The major Kolkata hospitals, where a significant number of Bangladeshi patients seek medical care, reiterated that they did not consider the nationality of patients. All stated that they were undeterred by fringe demands calling for a boycott of Bangladeshi patients and will continue to serve patients from the neighbouring country.
A few days ago, an organisation called ‘Salute Tiranga' protested in front of a private hospital, demanding they stop treating patients from Bangladesh. The protesters opposed the reported disrespect to India's national flag in Bangladesh. They also alleged that minorities in there were being denied basic medical services.
"A hospital is for every patient — a sanyasi or a terrorist. As far as patients from Bangladesh are concerned, they feel so much at home in Kolkata due to similarities like language and food. We tended to them for years and will continue to do so. No one can bar us from that. If there is an embargo, it has to come from the govt, which we hope the administration will not do," said Sudipta Mitra, CEO of Peerless Hospital.
"As a healthcare organisation, we are here to take care of every patient irrespective of caste, creed, religion and nationality. And we will continue to abide by this policy," said R Venkatesh, COO of Narayana Health, East and South region.
"Denying a patient treatment is beyond medical ethics. Despite the low inflow of patients from Bangladesh, we are still catering to the few who are turning up and will continue to do so," said Subhashis Datta, chief general manager of operations at Ruby General Hospital. All hospital administrators said that such a boycott demand was unjustified and unfortunate.
"We cannot discriminate against a patient based on nationality. No major hospitals will refuse patients from our neighbouring country. If certain organisations try to force any hospital into doing so, it can approach the Association of Hospitals of Eastern India (AHEI)," said Rupak Barua, MD and CEO of Woodlands Hospital and AHEI president.
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