Manish Gupta
Ranchi, May 10: Private hospitals in Jharkhand will no longer be allowed to withhold the bodies of deceased patients over unpaid medical bills, the state government said on Friday, calling the practice inhumane and distressing to grieving families.
The directive, issued to all civil surgeons and private healthcare facilities across the state, follows reports of hospitals refusing to release bodies due to outstanding payments.
“This act of theirs causes unnecessary mental agony to the grieving family, and disregards moral and human principles,” the order stated.
Health Minister Irfan Ansari, who announced the measure on social media, said the move was part of a broader effort to make Jharkhand’s healthcare system more humane.
“Under no circumstances will the body of the deceased be kept in private hospitals for unpaid bills,” Ansari said. “This decision has brought relief to thousands of families in the state.”
A formal departmental order has been issued, making it mandatory for all private hospitals to release bodies to the next of kin, regardless of whether hospital bills have been settled.
“This decision is not just an order, but a humanitarian initiative – based on compassion, empathy and justice,” Ansari added. “This step is laying the foundation of a new health system in Jharkhand – where humanity is supreme.”
