One of Rajkot’s high-end private hospitals has found itself embroiled in yet another controversy over exorbitant charges.

As per reports, a 9-year-old boy named Henil Patel fell off a scooter and was admitted to N M Virani Wockhardt Hospital on Kalavad Road, Rajkot. He was treated under medical insurance and discharged after 24 hours. 

During the treatment, he received eight stitches, and the hospital charged ₹1.60 lakh for it. Notably, despite it being a cashless treatment, the hospital allegedly demanded ₹10,000 in cash from the patient’s relatives, out of which only ₹1,400 was refunded.

The hospital bill also included charges for a doctor’s visit in the morning, even though the child was admitted in the evening. Moreover, no major surgery was performed on the child—only stitches were given. Raising concerns over these charges, the child’s grandfather is preparing to take legal action against the hospital . The bill suggests that the cost of one stitch is ₹20,000, an unusually high charge unheard of in any hospital in the country.

Earlier in January, the hospital had sparked a controversy when a young woman underwent a spinal surgery, but continued to experience pain. Upon further medical tests, it was found that the surgery had actually not been performed. The patient’s family alleged that the hospital had falsely claimed to have conducted the operation. Instead of experiencing relief, the patient’s condition worsened, making walking and sitting increasingly difficult.