Ranchi: Health minister Irfan Ansari on Monday said hospitals across Jharkhand cannot withhold the bodies of deceased patients for non-payment of bills.Ansari, while inaugurating an upgraded emergency ward at the Bhagwan Mahavir Manipal Hospital here, said the govt’s priority is to provide better and dignified healthcare services to the poor, underprivileged, and needy patients of the state.“Collecting payment from the families of patients after their death is inhumane. In such instances, the medical bills must be waived, and this should be strictly followed by all hospitals. It is the govt’s top priority to provide better and dignified healthcare services to the poor, the deprived, and the needy, and no one should be deprived of it,” he said.The state health department in May last year ordered all hospitals, including govt-run and private, not to withhold bodies over pending bills. The directive was issued after it received several complaints of certain hospitals refusing to hand over bodies until the families settled outstanding medical bills.The health department launched an HPV vaccination drive in Ranchi district from Monday till the next three months, for women aged 14 to 15 years, aiming to prevent young girls from cervical cancer in future.Ranchi civil surgeon Dr Prabhat Kumar appealed to parents, teachers, and community members to ensure that young women go to their nearest health centre to receive the vaccination.
