Jhoona (47) Devi lives in the Bahadurpur aldermanry (Ward No. 25) of the Samastipur town. CHARM met her on 5th January. She was sitting, holding a plastic bag attached to a pipe coming from her abdomen. Her husband Baiju Paswan had gone for work. Jhoona’s married daughter was there to take care of her. Jhoona’s gallbladder was operated in the Rajkamal Nursing Home located in Mohanpur (Samastipur town). Almost two months have passed and the sore was still wet. The nursing home had charged and withdrawn Rs. 13,200 from her smart card as the operations fees. Yet the total expenditure went up to Rs. 25,000 for medical tests and other medications.

Jhoona had informed that there was a problem in her womb. The field mobilizer, Mamata advised her to undergo treatment at Rajkamal Nursing Home. She was informed that under the RSBY, she would receive free treatment from the hospital. All her expenditure would be paid using the smart card. Jhoona went to Rajkamal Nursing Home on Mamta’s advice. There, her ultrasound was done after she paid Rs. 890. As per the reports, she was informed that she had a stone in her gallbladder, hence operation was suggested.

She was operated on 20 November, 2013. She received porridge and tea-biscuit, day and night as meal for another five days. Thereafter, that she had to pay for food and medicines and had to provide leucoplast for herself, from her own money. After 20 days, Jhoona asked Dr. Sunita Chowdhrey for the permission to leave. The doctor denied her request. After being distressed from the expenditures, Jhoona insisted on going home. She was allowed to leave on the 12th of December. She was not given receipts for the treatment and medical tests neither was she provided with the Rs.100 as the commuting fees.

After returning home, Jhoona contacted a private doctor. Another ultrasound was done and the doctor suggested her to return to the hospital where she was first treated. Although, he did not inform her, why the sore was not healing.

Jhoona’s husband again took her to Rajkamal Nursing Home. On seeing Jhoona, Dr. Chowdhrey denied to treat her. Jhoona’s husband threatened to complain against her after which she was ready to treat her. However, the treatment will be on their expenses. Jhoona’s husband, a father of three sons and one daughter, is now getting her treated after borrowing money. He’s under a debt of Rs. 25,000. He said that the doctor must have made some mistake during the operation. She must be hiding something from them. Even the field mobilizer is not coming to his help.